Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said he would not go the way of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, whom he accused of playing politics “with the suffering of Nigerians”.
Speaking at a function in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike had described Atiku as a rejected politician.
Wike was apparently referring to Atiku’s statement after the last local government election in Rivers State state, were he (Atiku) stated that it has now “been revealed that the citizens of Rivers are astute and resolute, unwavering in their rejection of any form of political oppression, harassment, or the machinations of self-serving godfathers.”
The FCT minister said, “If you say for an election we did not contest, never participated in, that it shows Nigerians have rejected us, fine. You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians have rejected you, so pack up and go home.”
But responding through Mr Paul Ibe, his Media Adviser, Atiku said, “Mr. Wike’s comments are nothing more than a string of inanities, lacking substance and driven by personal grievances,” adding that “If he truly believes Nigerians are content with the current state of affairs under the government he serves, it reveals a deeper truth: his priorities lie not with the people but with himself.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate in the last election said “This self-absorption is evident in his preoccupation with domestic affairs in Rivers rather than his ministerial responsibilities.
“While he may seek to divert attention with his baseless rants, we remain focused on the genuine issues affecting Nigerians. It is clear that Mr. Wike is more concerned with self-interest than addressing the real challenges faced by the nation. In contrast, our commitment remains unwavering, centred on the welfare and progress of the people.
Mr. Wike appears to delight in conjuring fantasies, indulging in his imagination, and paying for live TV coverage to launch tirades against whomever he pleases. However, we shall not descend into the gutters where he feels at home. Instead, we prefer to rise above, maintaining our dignity while others revel in the mud.”
He said the recent remarks made by Wike, can only be described as another of his “theatrical outbursts,” saying that “Nigerians are well acquainted with his antics, a lingering symptom of the bitterness he harbours from his defeat to the Wazirin Adamawa at the 2022 party presidential primaries.”