Wike says Atiku had no choice but to leave PDP

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as inevitable.

Abubakar officially quit the party on July 14, citing that the PDP had strayed from its founding principles and was plagued by “irreconcilable differences.”

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Monday, Wike explained that Abubakar’s departure was unavoidable, arguing that the former vice-president could no longer leverage the party for his personal political ambitions.

“Atiku has no choice but to leave because he wanted to use the PDP, but knowing that I’m there, he cannot get that platform,” the FCT minister said.

He also accused the former vice-president and other defectors of weakening the party.

“Those are people who destroyed the party,” he said, adding, “How many times has he left PDP and returned?”

Wike also took aim at Douye Diri, governor of Bayelsa, who formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday.

“Diri has said he has left PDP, and I’m one of the happiest persons today,” he said.

“The same him and Makinde said they would not allow anybody to destroy the PDP and fall to the gutter. Who has entered the gutter today?”

Wike accused Diri of hypocrisy, saying he once branded others “undertakers” trying to bury the PDP but has now joined the APC.

“If I heard what he said, he claimed that some people came into the party as undertakers,” Wike said.

“I didn’t just come into the party; I have been a bona fide member since 1998.”

The minister recounted his political journey, noting that he began his career as a local government chairman and later served as governor of Rivers for eight years.

“When Diri was in PDP, he was one of those who said I was working for APC to destroy PDP,” Wike said.

“He was the chairman of the zoning committee of the party.”

The former Rivers governor also said Diri should be grateful for his defection.

“If he were to say I am working with APC, Diri should come to me and say, ‘Thank you, master,’” Wike said.

“He should pay me and say, ‘Thank you for opening my eyes to see the light,’ if he were true.”

Wike said his record of loyalty to the PDP remains unquestionable despite the party’s internal wrangling.

“When I was a governor under Buhari, everything was done to kill PDP, but I said no way I fought,” he said.

“Leadership is key to everything you are doing. Everybody wants to make excuses. The man they claimed is killing PDP is still in the PDP.”