Wike Accuses Tambuwal, Atiku of Betrayal Amid Renewed Political Rift

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of betrayal and political inconsistency.

In a recent interview, Wike dismissed Tambuwal’s remarks about choosing leadership over friendship, saying, “What do you mean by leadership and friendship? You cannot talk about leadership and ignore the person.” He described both Tambuwal and Atiku as “consistently inconsistent,” accusing them of switching political allegiances for personal gain. According to Wike, Tambuwal had hoped to secure a Senate position if Atiku had won the 2023 presidential election.

Tambuwal, in a separate interview earlier this month, openly declared his preference for Atiku over Wike, saying, “When it comes to leadership of this country and leadership of the people, I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike.” He defended his decision as value-driven and not based on personal ties. Tambuwal also noted that past disagreements with political figures, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, were based on ideological principles. “It is a collaboration; it is not something difficult. Once it is about being altruistic and nothing personal. We disagreed on principle, the way and the direction things were going,” he said.

The rift between Wike and key Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figures dates back to the build-up to the 2023 elections, when Wike criticized Atiku, Tambuwal, and Bukola Saraki for allegedly abandoning the party’s zoning arrangement, which he believed should have favored the South. He also recalled backing Tambuwal’s bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives, even when the party had supported a different candidate.

Despite the tensions, Tambuwal insisted there was no personal animosity. “If Atiku comes in here and Wike requests my phone, I will give it to him as a personal friend,” he said.