Spokesman of of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, Mr. Lere Olayinka, has said that his principal will scuttle former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential bid.
He said this while reacting to Atiku’s recent remark that he had no regrets about not picking Wike as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the last election, had revealed that a committee presented him with three potential running mates—Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Wike, and ex-Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel.
But Okowa was finally picked by Atiku Abubakar.
While reacting via a post on his official X on Wednesday, Olayinka refuted Atiku’s statement, noting that his principal had no regrets about losing the vice-presidential ticket to Okowa.
He reiterated that Wike played a role in Atiku’s defeat in 2023 and would ensure he fails again in 2027.
“Two years after making the @OfficialPDPNig lose a presidential election it could have won, @atiku is giving reasons he did not pick @GovWike as his running mate and that he has no regrets.
“Someone should tell our serial presidential election contester that Wike also has no regret for ensuring that he failed in the election and will make sure that he fails again and again,”Olayinka wrote.
Last week, Atiku Abubakar had announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The development has stirred widespread speculation over who will lead the alliance and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party standard-bearer, Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being positioned as key figures in the movement.
When asked whether he would be contesting for the presidency again in 2027, Atiku remained noncommittal, stating that a formidable political platform must first be established before any decision could be made.
“I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy,” he said.
The former vice president, who has made six unsuccessful attempts at the presidency, did not, however, rule out another bid.
“I have not seen Nigeria in such dire need of experienced and credible leadership as it is now,” he said.
Atiku likened the current situation to the events leading to the formation of the All Progressives Congress in 2014, recalling how opposition forces came together, contested, and eventually rallied behind a single candidate to secure victory.
“We had a similar merger in 2014. About four of us, or is it three? We all ran for president, and one of us emerged. We all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he added.
