On Tuesday, at the ceremony unveiling the Rivers State Rainbow Coalition’s slate of candidates, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, publicly accused former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar of being untrustworthy and of constantly reversing his political positions.
Wike reminded the audience that he had contested the 2022 presidential primaries alongside Atiku, had employed the former vice‑president in 2019, and was among the largest financial backers of that election.
He added, “He’s not a man that you can go to the bank with his word.”
According to Wike, Atiku tells supporters one thing in the morning, another in the afternoon, and yet a different story the following day, illustrating a pattern of inconsistency.
What did Wike say about Atiku’s suitability as a leader?
Wike questioned whether anyone should follow a politician whose statements shift so frequently, asking the crowd, “Is he the man you follow?”
The criticism came as the Rainbow Coalition, a political alliance in Rivers State, prepared to contest upcoming elections, and reflects ongoing tensions among Nigeria’s senior political figures ahead of the 2023 general election cycle.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has been a vocal figure in national politics since his appointment in 2023, often using his platform to comment on the strategies of his political rivals.
Atiku Abubakar, who served as Nigeria’s Vice‑President from 1999 to 2007, has made several attempts to secure the presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party, most recently in the 2022 primaries where he lost to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
The Rivers State Rainbow Coalition, formed earlier this year, seeks to unite several opposition parties and independent candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections, aiming to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the oil‑rich Niger Delta region.
Observers noted that Wike’s sharp remarks could be aimed at consolidating his own influence within the coalition and signaling to Atiku’s supporters that the former vice‑president’s credibility is in question.
Regardless of the political calculus, the public sparring between two senior figures highlights the volatility of Nigeria’s pre‑election landscape, where alliances shift and personal reputations are frequently contested.