Wike Knows Atiku, Peter Obi May Seek Political Payback, Aide Says

Lere Olayinka, spokesman for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said the minister is aware that his political actions could trigger retaliation from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party leader Peter Obi if either man wins the 2027 presidential election.

Olayinka made the disclosure on Friday while appearing on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, where he discussed Wike’s increasingly strained political relationships with the two opposition figures.

According to him, Wike does not expect Atiku or Obi to remain friendly with him if they eventually emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential race.

“So what we are saying is that the man knows that he has injured Atiku too much. He has injured Peter Obi too much, and when you injure people politically, you should expect a kind of payback,” Olayinka said.

He argued that Wike is not under any illusion about the possible consequences of the political battles he has fought with both men in recent years.

Olayinka specifically dismissed the idea that Wike would expect Atiku to reconcile with him automatically if the former vice president becomes president.

“So he is not deceiving himself into believing that if Atiku becomes president tomorrow, he will now become Atiku’s friend. No, he is not deceiving himself into having that kind of belief,” he said.

Wike’s political relationship with Atiku deteriorated sharply following disagreements over the 2023 presidential election and the internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. His relationship with Obi also became strained after the 2023 election and subsequent political developments.

Wike had previously expressed concern that Atiku and Obi could target him politically if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 election. The latest comments from his spokesman suggest that the FCT minister remains conscious of the possibility of political consequences should the balance of power shift after the election.

The remarks come as Nigeria’s political parties and major opposition figures intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential contest, with alliances and rivalries increasingly shaping the emerging political landscape.