- Lere Olayinka, aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, accused Atiku Abubakar of lacking political consistency, alleging he would defect to APC for a 2027 power deal
- The comments followed Atiku’s Sallah visit to ex-President Buhari, which fuelled speculation about opposition realignment ahead of the next election
- Olayinka mocked the visit as insincere, urging Atiku to also visit Obasanjo for ‘Lisabi Day’ if his intentions were purely ceremonial
Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ridiculed any opposition movement spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, suggesting that such efforts are doomed to fail due to Atiku’s alleged political inconsistency.
In a post shared via Facebook, Olayinka claimed that Atiku would readily defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if President Bola Tinubu promised to hand over power to him in 2027.
“Those of us who have sense know that any opposition being led by Atiku is a failure from the beginning.
“Reason is, if tomorrow President Tinubu calls Atiku and tells him, ‘Don’t worry, I will hand over to you in 2027, just join APC,’ he (Atiku) will be in the APC immediately,” Olayinka stated.
The remarks come in the wake of Atiku’s recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna, accompanied by notable political figures including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, ex-Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and former Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam.
Atiku said the visit was to pay Sallah homage to the former president. However, critics and observers have speculated that the visit was part of ongoing political manoeuvres aimed at uniting opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mocking Atiku’s explanation, Olayinka quipped that the former PDP presidential candidate should consider visiting former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta for Lisabi Day celebrations if he is truly on a goodwill tour.
“I am still waiting for Atiku to carry body and go to Abeokuta to pay Lisabi Day homage to OBJ sha.”
He added sarcastically, “Also, we are doing Egungun Festival in my hometown next month. Let him not forget to pay Egungun Festival homage to us in Okemesi Ekiti.”
Atiku urges Tinubu to prioritise unity, democracy over divisive policies
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to put Nigeria first and align its actions with its rhetoric, particularly in promoting national unity and strengthening the country’s democracy.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku expressed concerns about the growing divisions along ethnic, religious, and class lines since Tinubu took office.
He accused the current administration of pursuing a “snatch and grab” agenda with no concrete plans to build a stronger democratic system.
