Wike Declares Himself ‘Hero of Democracy,’ Says He Ensured Atiku’s Defeat in 2023 Polls

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has claimed he became the “hero of Nigeria’s democracy” by ensuring former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lost the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Wike dismissed suggestions that former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, deserved the “hero” title for stepping down in favour of Atiku during the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary.

According to him, Atiku’s poor showing in Rivers State during the 2023 polls proved his influence, stressing that the former vice president would fare even worse in 2027.

“Those clowns were calling Tambuwal ‘Hero of Convention’ where they broke the party laws,” Wike said. “But we became the Hero of Democracy by making sure that Atiku lost in the real election. He didn’t get 5% in Rivers State in 2023, and I can assure you he won’t get 5% again in 2027. His defeat will be resounding.”

The minister also accused Atiku of repeatedly exploiting Nigerians’ economic woes to justify his frequent defections between political parties.

“Each time Atiku wants to defect, he would say ‘Nigerians are hungry’,” Wike argued. “He was Vice President for 8 years under PDP and left for AC, saying Nigerians were hungry. He went back to PDP, defected to APC, returned again to PDP, and even joined ADC — all with the same excuse. Imagine such a character.”

Wike’s remarks rekindle the deep cracks within the PDP, as both he and Atiku continue to trade political barbs ahead of 2027.