The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has labeled former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as serial betrayers.
He also accused Atiku of being corrupt.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Wike dismissed Tambuwal’s earlier remarks about choosing Atiku over him in matters of leadership.
“What do you mean by leadership and friendship? You cannot talk about leadership and ignore the person,” Wike said.
“These are people who have been consistently inconsistent. When you are a consistent betrayer, what do you expect?”
Wike further alleged that Tambuwal had positioned himself for a Senate role if Atiku had won the 2023 presidential election, adding that both men were known for switching parties for personal advantage.
On Atiku, Wike said: “Seun, what do you mean by leadership and friendship? You cannot talk about leadership and you do not talk about the person. I was privileged to have these clips with me and luckily for me, I have never come out on National Television to talk about Aminu Tambuwal but this is an opportunity to talk about him and I will tell you. He said he trusts Atiku in terms of leadership. Seun, why not? These are people that have been consistently inconsistent. You know when you are a consistent betrayer, what do you expect? Now birds of the same feather flock together. There is no way Aminu will not go along with Atiku knowing fully well they are dissidents. When you hear Tambuwal talking, we from the Niger Delta, sometimes when you go to pick snail, you see an empty shell. When you are speaking to Tambuwal, you think you are talking to a human being. Tambuwal cannot talk about leadership, I made him Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Atiku cannot stand for truth, I did not say it, Obasanjo in his book “My Watch” said it, that’s their principal. What is his leadership trait? Obasanjo also claimed that when he was seeking for a Vice Presidential Candidate, he made a mistake with Atiku though an honest mistake but he is happy that God has forgiven him. His penchant for corruption. Former President Obasanjo gave a testimonial of his subordinate but I have shown leadership.”
Recall that on September 6, Tambuwal, who appeared on the same programme earlier in September, pledged loyalty to Atiku, stressing that his choices were guided by governance values rather than friendship.
According to him, his disagreements with politicians had always been ideological, as he continued to enjoy cordial relations with leaders across party lines.
“When it comes to leadership of this country and leadership of the people, tomorrow, not even today, I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike. It is a collaboration. It is not something difficult.
“Once it is about being altruistic and nothing personal. You have never seen me going against President Bola Tinubu personally, you have never heard of me going against Nyesom Wike personally,” he said.
He insisted that his past disagreements with leaders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, were based on principles and ideology.
He explained, “We disagreed on principle, the way, and the direction things are going. I had no problem personally with Goodluck Jonathan, but we disagreed, and I left PDP for APC.”
The rift between Wike and key PDP leaders dates back to 2023, when Wike openly criticised Atiku, Tambuwal, and Bukola Saraki for abandoning zoning arrangements that could have favoured the South.
He also reminded viewers that he once supported Tambuwal’s bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives against the party’s preference.
Tambuwal, however, stressed that political disagreements should not be mistaken for personal hostility.