Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of Federal Capital Territory,FCT, Nyesom Wike, have renewed their fight over the latter's choice of running mate in the 2023 general elections.
The two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who fell out with each other after the PDP presidential primaries that saw Atiku picking former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate, are engaged in a war of words over what truly transpired.
Atiku, in an interview, said he had no regret ignoring Wike for Okowa, adding that he acted according to the preference of party leaders.
Atiku said PDP leaders had nominated three names, including Okowa, Wike, and Emmanuel Udom, former governor of Akwa Ibom, for the position.
He added that Okowa was rated in the first position, followed by Wike who emerged second, and Udom third.
Atiku said he decided to consult with the party in 2023 after facing criticisms for not engaging enough for the nomination of Peter Obi as his running mate in 2019.
His words: "In 2023, I threw the whole thing (nomination of vice-presidential candidate) to the party. I said, 'set up a committee and recommend three people for me to pick as running mate.
"They set up a committee and came with recommendations. Number one to three. I picked number one. The number two was Wike and the other one was Udom. He (referring to Wike) was not the number one."
However, the FCT Minister has fired back, saying he was never interested in being Atiku's running mate.
Wike, who said this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, described as false, claims by Atiku that the committee set up by PDP to select its vice presidential candidate in the 2023 election rated Okowa as its first choice.
He said: "The committee set up by the PDP picked Wike as Atiku's running mate, but for reasons best known to him, he settled for Okowa, who had two votes from the committee members. That's the truth Atiku should tell and stand with, not trying to colour his decision with falsehood.
"Unfortunately, Atiku chose to tell lies so brazenly during the holy month of Ramadan, obviously forgetting that Allah (SWT) does not hearken to the prayers of liars, probably the reason he (Atiku) has continually failed in his desperation to be president of Nigeria.
"As I said earlier, Wike has no regret for Atiku not picking him as his running mate and he also has no regret taking the position he took concerning the presidential election."
Comments