The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike .
•Says David Mark Was Rejected As PDP Chair
•Insists No Govt Can Solve All Problems
By Pauline Podka
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday, August 4, criticized former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for his frequent party switches, stating, “If I were Atiku Abubakar’s son, I would sit him down and ask, ‘Dad, how can you keep hopping from one political party to another at almost 80 years old?’”
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Wike highlighted Atiku’s history of defections since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. “Atiku was in the PDP in 1999, then he joined the Action Congress (AC). After AC, he returned to the PDP, later moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and then back to the PDP again, all in pursuit of the presidential ticket,” Wike said.
He noted that Atiku’s recent move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is another example of this pattern, driven by his realization that he would not secure the PDP’s presidential ticket for the 2027 election.
“The way the PDP is now, it is not likely that Atiku would get a ticket. Therefore, he is not comfortable. Therefore, he tells you, let’s do a coalition against Tinubu. It’s not right,” Wike added.
Wike dismissed the opposition coalition challenging President Bola Tinubu and the APC as ineffective, asserting that Atiku’s push for a coalition stems from his inability to secure the PDP ticket.
On internal PDP dynamics, Wike revealed that he and other prominent members opposed efforts to appoint former Senate President David Mark as the party’s National Chairman.
“When we started having issues of National Chairman in North-Central, there was pressure for David Mark to be National Chairman of PDP. We refused,” he said.
When asked why Mark was rejected despite his pedigree, Wike responded, “Why not? What good will he bring to the party? He has been a Senate President in the party for eight years. What are the things that happened? What is the improvement?”
Wike emphasized his preference for a new candidate with reformist goals over career politicians with long tenures but limited achievements.
“I prefer somebody who has not had any position, who has come to tell me that, ‘Look, I am doing this because I want to help with change, to achieve this and that,’” he explained.
Wike stated: “I will not listen to anybody who has been in power for years, who has refused to contribute anything to the development of the country, and now you come to tell me this story that, ‘Look, we need to rescue this country.’ You were there, the country was sinking, did you rescue it?”
Addressing concerns about project commissioning in the FCT, Wike clarified that no government can solve all problems, even in 20 years.
“We’re not saying we’ve done everything. But, we are doing what will at least make a difference in the lives of the people, and that’s the whole point of governance,” he stated.
He explained that only major, capital-intensive projects, costing billions of naira, are commissioned, while smaller projects are not.
Wike urged the media to collaborate with the administration by visiting project sites with Mandate Secretaries to witness progress in areas like education and social development.
In response to criticism that he has prioritized infrastructure over other sectors, Wike announced plans to upgrade 10 schools in the FCT, focusing on rural areas.
“I promise to deliver 10 schools. As I leave here, I will instruct the Mandate Secretary to initiate the scheme, which will focus on rural areas,” he stated.
He stressed that expecting comprehensive development across all sectors in less than two years is unrealistic.