Atiku To Wike: Learning Without Character Is Equal To Zero
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that following Mr. Nyesom Wike’s public conduct in Rivers State where he once served as governor and in Abuja since becoming FCT Minister, he has been vindicated for insisting that he was unsuitable for the role of Vice President in a ticket meant to unify, and not to divide.
This was as Atiku pointedly told Wike that it was time to move beyond bruised egos and focus on what truly matters which is the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its people!
Atiku in a statement by his media office on Saturday, March 29, 2025, stressed that leadership is not only about numbers but, about temperament, dignity, and the ability to unify, adding that a man may boast of numbers, but if his conduct lacks grace and humility, those numbers are empty.
The Waziri Adamawa reiterated that he made no apologies for choosing Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate in 2023, stressing that the decision was based on a combination of intellect, composure, and statesmanship.
The statement signed by Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, urged Wike and his social media spokesperson to resist the temptation to sermonize about religious piety during Ramadan and Lent, too, while simultaneously fanning the flames of discord.
It cautioned Wike not to reduce sacred periods to a tool for petty political jabs, emphasising that the task of rebuilding their party and the nation is a serious one.
Atiku Media Office said it noted yet another emotional outburst disguised as a press statement from the camp of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, issued by his aide, Lere Olayinka.
It said that while Atiku understood that bitterness often finds expression in misplaced aggression, it reminded Wike and his team that a bitter heart isn’t capable of charity, nor does it inspire unity, healing, or truth.
According to the Media Office; “Once again, facts have been twisted in a desperate attempt to rewrite history. Mr. Wike, through his spokesperson, claims that he had 13 votes from a committee set up to recommend a vice presidential running mate, while Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa had only two.
“Let us be clear: there are no laid down rules or laws on the selection process of a running mate. Committees, consultations, and recommendations are advisory in nature. “The final decision rests solely and exclusively with the presidential candidate, in this case, Atiku Abubakar. It is a constitutional and strategic choice, not a popularity contest.
“Assuming, but not conceding that Wike had 13 votes and Okowa had 2 — just like universities confer degrees in learning and in character — one must ask: what is the worth of votes if character scores a zero?
“We have been vindicated by Mr. Wike’s public conduct in Rivers state where he once served as governor and in Abuja since becoming FCT Minister, which has made it abundantly clear why he was unsuitable for the role of Vice President in a ticket meant to unify, not divide,” the statement stressed.
