Why I’ll back Atiku, not Wike, for national leadership — Tambuwal

Former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has declared that he would stand with ex–Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, if compelled to pick a leader for Nigeria’s future.

Appearing on Politics Today on Friday, Tambuwal explained that his political choices are shaped by values and principles of governance rather than personal ties.

“When it comes to leadership of this country and leadership of the people, tomorrow, not even today, I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike,” he said.

Tensions between Wike and key PDP leaders date back to 2023, when the former Rivers governor openly criticised Atiku, Tambuwal, and Bukola Saraki for allegedly reneging on a zoning agreement that would have favoured the South in the party’s presidential ticket.

Wike at the time remarked: “There’s nobody contesting for the presidency from the north that I do not have a relationship with…that I don’t support. And there’s no one of them who has not come to me, Wike, and said, ‘with you, I think I’ll have my way…but if we agree on something, let’s keep to it.’”

He also recalled supporting Tambuwal’s bid to become Speaker of the House of Representatives, even when the party had a different preference.

Clarifying his present position, Tambuwal stressed that political disagreements should never be mistaken for personal animosity. He noted that he has always sustained respectful relationships with leaders across different political divides.

“It is a collaboration; it is not something difficult. Once it is about being altruistic and nothing personal. You have never seen me going against President Bola Tinubu personally, you have never heard of me going against Nyesom Wike personally,” he said.

Tambuwal added that his past clashes with figures such as former President Goodluck Jonathan were purely ideological.

“We disagreed on principle, the way, and the direction things are going. I had no problem personally with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, but we disagreed, and I left PDP for APC,” he explained.

Reiterating the line between leadership decisions and friendship, Tambuwal said: “It is not about my friendship with you, and I am saying this with all sense of responsibility. If Atiku Abubakar comes in here and Wike requests my phone, which is personal to me, I will personally give it to Wike as a personal friend.”

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