Wike not regretting working against Atiku in 2023 –Lere Olayinka
By John Okezie
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Lere Olayinka has said that his principal has no regret working against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 presidential election.
Olayinka who said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja faulted Atiku’s claim that the choice of former Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta as his running mate was based on the report of the committee constituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Wike was never keen about becoming Atiku’s running mate and has no regret working against him in the 2023 presidential elections.
“After the committee’s report indicated that Wike was the first choice while Okowa was second, Atiku and his men backpedaled that the committee’s report was not followed.
“So, Atiku agreed that he simply picked who he wanted, not who the party wanted; after all, there was no laid down rules or laws on the selection process of a running mate,”he said
Olayinka, who also faulted the claim by the Atiku’s media team that the committee’s consultations and recommendations were advisory in nature, added that the final decision on who becomes his running mate rests solely and exclusively with Atiku.
He described the statement issued by the Atiku’s media team as “face-saving”.
“By arguing that Okowa’s choice was constitutional and strategic, and not a popularity contest,’ Atiku’s media office has confirmed that their principal actually goofed and never had any regard for his party.
“It, therefore, gladdens our hearts that we have been able to establish that Atiku is not a man of his words and shouldn’t be trusted.
“Just as Atiku said he has no regret over the choice he made, so also Wike has no regret not supporting him during the 2023 general elections.
“No one is harbouring ill-feeling against Atiku for losing with the choice he made, also, no one should harbour ill-feeling against Wike for winning with the choice he made,” Olayinka said.
On the task of rebuilding the PDP, Olayinka said it was necessary for Atiku to be clear as to which party he belongs to.
“This is because PDP has not formed a coalition with any political party”, he said.
