Atiku: No Regrets Over Wike Snub for 2023 Running Mate

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has firmly stated that he has no regrets about not selecting Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking in an interview on Untold Stories with Adesuwa, published on Wednesday, Atiku defended his decision to choose Ifeanyi Okowa, the former governor of Delta State, as the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Back in June 2022, Atiku, having secured the PDP’s presidential ticket, was widely expected to pick Wike—who had finished second in the party’s primary—as his running mate. However, the former vice-president opted for Okowa, a move that sparked internal backlash, especially among Wike’s loyalists.

Clarifying his choice, Atiku revealed that he had delegated the selection process to the party’s stakeholders, who shortlisted three candidates: Okowa, Wike, and Emmanuel Udom, the former governor of Akwa Ibom. According to Atiku, Okowa emerged as the top choice, with Wike ranking second and Udom third.

“In 2023, I threw the whole thing (nomination of vice-presidential candidate) to the party. I said, ‘Set up a committee and recommend three people for me to pick as running mate,’” Atiku explained. “They set up a committee and came with recommendations—number one to three. I picked number one. The number two was Wike, and the other one was Udom. He [Wike] was not the number one.”

Wike, who was then the governor of Rivers State, reacted to the snub by aligning himself with Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2023 election. His defection from the PDP’s campaign efforts further deepened the cracks within the opposition party.

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Despite the fallout, Atiku remains resolute in his decision. When asked directly if he had any regrets about not selecting Wike, his response was emphatic: “No, not at all.”

The 2023 election marked a defining moment for the PDP, with internal divisions playing a significant role in the party’s performance. Atiku’s latest remarks reinforce his stance that his decision was based on party consensus rather than personal preference.