Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday night exhumed details of the circumstances that led to his loosing the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2022.
He pointedly said that former President of the Senate, David Mark used the coup-plotting experience to manipulate the Party’s convention in favour of the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Wike, who stated this when he featured on Channels Television programme; ‘Politics Today’, accused the then leadership of the PDP of orchestrating backroom deals that robbed him of a fair chance at clinching the presidential ticket.
He alleged that the scheming took place at the residence of General Aliyu Gusau, former National Security Adviser to the President, which led to Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal stepping down for Atiku.
In the words of Wike; “David Mark as the Chairman of the National Convention Committee of the PDP used his military-style tactics to tilt the process in Atiku’s favour.
“The David Mark-led committee was not transparent and reflected a deliberate attempt to produce a pre-determined outcome. It was a well-organised plan.
“My chances of winning were very strong. I had Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, but influential party stakeholders held a crucial meeting at the residence of former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau. Aspirants such as former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed were urged to step down for Atiku, but they insisted on running.
“Tambuwal agreed and stepped down for Atiku. David Mark-led committee now made an announcement to allow Tambuwal to speak again and announced his stepping down.
“I said okay, since they won the convention, we will win the election and I led a group that won the election,” he said.
Wike expressed regret for some of his tactical wrong moves which exposed delegates that were loyal to him as they wore distinctive uniforms at the convention ground — a move he believes exposed his strategy to opponents and made his camp more vulnerable to counter manoeuvres,” he said.
The former governor of Rivers State, alleged that Tambuwal was promised the Senate presidency if the PDP returned to power in 2023 which formed the basis of his last-minute withdrawal and stepping down for Atiku which changed the direction of the political pendulum.
