The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as a traitor who is working to undermine the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Recall that Wike stated during a media chat in Abuja on Friday that discussions about a coalition to remove President Bola Tinubu were insincere, adding that selfish motives drove those leading the efforts.

Wike accused Atiku and others of avoiding the problems plaguing the PDP, adding that they are simply interested in becoming president and not willing to work to build the party.

Reacting to the accusation, Atiku, through his media aide, Paul Ibe, said Wike has no moral authority to discuss integrity, accusing him of betraying the PDP.

Speaking to Punch, the former Vice President argued that the coalition comprises genuine Nigerians committed to ending the APC’s style of governance.

He stated, “Wike is not in a position to talk about sincerity. This is a man who betrayed his party, a man working with the APC to destroy and undermine his own party and the interests of Nigerians. So, what does he know about sincerity? Nothing.

“If he wants to speak on sincerity, let him talk to his principal, Tinubu, an absentee President running government from the Presidential Villa’s WhatsApp group. Wike should be sincere to President Tinubu to return home and do his job.


“Wike is not in a position to talk to anybody. Wike is working against his own state where he was once governor. He is trying to ensure he has absolute control of the government in Rivers, working in cahoots with Abuja to get the governor suspended. It is unfortunate that they just open their filthy mouths and speak on things they know nothing about.

“As for the coalition, the sincere Nigerians are determined to end the reckless, irresponsible, clueless APC government. Nigerians want to reclaim their country. The coalition presents Nigerians with a vehicle. Atiku Abubakar and others who are involved in it are just tools to an end. This is about Nigeria.”

LlThe governor of Akwa Ibom, Umo Eno, says his support for President Bola Tinubu’s second term is deliberate and not a betrayal of his political party.


On Tuesday, Eno, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Tinubu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will complete his eight-year tenure.

Speaking at a rally in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state, Eno said his choice is rooted in sincerity and will be explained in due time.

“Me, I don’t know how to speak from two sides of the mouth,” he said. “The other day, I said I was going to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, people said ‘why do I say so?’

“In the night, they go there and go and tell the Baba ‘we will support you’, in the afternoon, they do another thing.

“Me I’m supporting baba Bola Ahmed Tinubu for second term. When the time comes, I will tell you the reason, the time has not come yet. But let me keep it first. There’s no point lying to yourself.

“I will tell you the reason when the time comes, and you will see with me why we should support him so that he can complete what he has started.

“You will see what he is doing for our state, and you will know why we should not go elsewhere.

“So, if you want another support, wait — when he finishes, we will now support another person.”

Eno said his support for Tinubu does not affect his status as a member of his political party.

“Akwa Ibom does not know how to flip-flop,” he said.

“That does not stop me from being a member of my party. I am entitled to my own opinion.”


He said his second-term ambition is also gaining wide backing from Godswill Akpabio, the president of the senate.

“The senate president has told me in many fora,” he said.

“It has been confirmed today by the vote that has been moved, and our mother has also spoken, that they will support Pastor Umo Eno for a second term.

“So, if you take your own, I take my own. You fall for me, I fall for you. Na play, not be fight. If you fall for me, I fall for you.”

A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has dismissed the widely discussed coalition of opposition political parties aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, describing it as a waste of time.

Fayose, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, said no prominent Nigerian is part of the coalition talk.

“Their coalition is a dead horse ab initio. Tell me one positive person, well respected Nigerians that has given his voice in support of this coalition,” Fayose said on the programme.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who was PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023 and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who recently decamped to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the APC are spearheading the coalition.

But the former Ekiti State governor believes that the coalition will fail because the governors of the PDP are not with Atiku, as they are fighting for their own political survival.

“If anybody is fighting out of issues with his party, he can resolve that with his party. The (PDP) governors’ actions and statement in Ibadan is to tell Atiku that we are not with you, we are going nowhere, we have our own identity.

“So, that coalition is just in the imagination of people trying to bring it to fruition. So, let me say to you, it’s a waste of time,” he said.

He said that in fact, most of the opposition governors prefer Tinubu for their survival to Atiku.

According to Fayose, something is fundamentally wrong with the PDP that needs to be fixed before the party could talk about strongly challenging the ruling party.

‘I will work against Atiku again’
Atiku also vowed that Atiku will not receive his support if he decides to run in for president again in 2027.

“I publicly worked against Atiku, and I am saying for the second time, if Atiku comes again, I will work against him. It is time to learn our lesson,” Fayose said.

The former governor blamed the crisis rocking the PDP on the failure to keep to the zoning arrangement of the party by Atiku.

“After eight years of a Northerner, it is the turn of a Southerner. which could involve someone from the East, South West or South South.

“Those who gave or zoned power back to the North caused all these problems.”

“You don’t have to like a Nyesom Wike or a Peter Obi, but there should be an unwritten, respected gentleman’s understanding of powershift,” he said.