Wike attacks Atiku, David Mark, Amaechi, others dismisses coalition

"Nigerians need to be careful of these group of Nigerians who are angry because they left power. Nigerians know everybody. For how long would you continue to deceive them? Who would want to give listening ears to these kind of people?”

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the coalition against President Bola Tinubu, describing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and its other promoters as people desperate for power.

He also alleged that they left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because they could not take over the leadership of the party.

Mr Wike stated these in a media chat on Thursday in Abuja.

On Wednesday, Atiku and others unveiled the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the coalition’s platform to challenge President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 election.

Prominent members of the coalition include a former Senate President, David Mark, former Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Rotimi Amsechi (Rivers), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).

Messrs Mark and Aregbesola are the ADC interim national Chairperson and national secretary, respectively.

Mr Wike, a member of the PDP but serving as minister in the Tinubu-led APC administration, urged Nigerians to be wary of the coalition members, stating that they are hungry because they are no longer in power.

“Nigerians need to be careful of this group of Nigerians who are angry because they left power.

“Nigerians know everybody. For how long would you continue to deceive them? Who would want to give listening ears to these kind of people?” he stated.

The minister faulted the claim by members of the coalition that Nigerians are angry.

According to him, the members were once in government but did nothing to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

Mr Wike said, “I heard David Mark say, to rescue Nigeria; Nigerians are angry. David Mark was senate president for how many terms? Two terms, is it not? Nigerians were happy. Nigerians were happy when he was senate president for eight years. And there was no single project in Otukpo; not one. He was flying with helicopter to go to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, Nigerians are only angry now.

“When Rotimi Amaechi was minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Chinese loan, Nigerians were happy. It’s now Nigerians are angry. I saw Hadi (Dickson). They are saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria. So I’m asking this simple question. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.

“When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry? You were a governor in Sokoto State.”

The minister noted that he would only accept that Nigerians are angry when those who have not been in power say so.

“When you want to go to power, tell us. If there are people who have not been in power in this country, who are coming with such an idea, I can listen to them. But not people who were the ones at the helms of affairs of this country for how many years? Look at where this country is. If this President did not take certain decisions he has taken, which may be very challenging, you would have known where we would have been by now.

“A president came and said it’s a scam; took that bold step, we will not allow that. States are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that states are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that we are providing infrastructure in Abuja. I cannot say that there are no challenges. There are challenges. But for Christ’s sake, stop using Nigerians.”

Mr Wike also noted that ahead of the 2027 “the opposition has decimated themselves,” adding that only the PDP could challenge President Tinubu.

“Let me tell you why I said so, now you are talking about coalition. What is the coalition? The only party today, that if they put themselves well, can still challenge this government, assuming, is PDP,” he stated.