Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has downplayed the recent alliance of opposition figures under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), calling them recycled politicians with no track record of positive impact.
Speaking during a media parley monitored by The News Chronicle in Abuja on Thursday, July 3, Wike took aim at former Senate President David Mark, ex-Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and other prominent opposition leaders, saying they had held power in the past but failed to improve the country’s fortunes.
“David Mark says Nigerians are angry and ADC wants to rescue them—wasn’t he Senate President for years? Tambuwal was governor—were Nigerians happy then?” Wike asked.
He also accused former Attorney General Abubakar Malami of overseeing corruption during his tenure and questioned the political strength of opposition leaders.
Asked if he was fazed by the composition of Former Vice president and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential Candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, Wike said; “Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi—are they stronger than me?” he quipped.
On whether he would back President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or support the PDP in 2027, Wike offered a cryptic reply: “Who did I support in 2023? When we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it.
Recall that leading opposition figures across party lines yesterday converged at the Yar’Adua Centre, venue of the rescheduled unveiling of the new African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The unveiling was earlier scheduled to hold at a hotel in Asokoro in the early hours of Wednesday but was abruptly cancelled when the hotel management announced that it could no longer provide its facility for the event after full payment had been made and confirmed.
The News Chronicle observed that among early callers to the new venue are former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe; a former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; Senator Dino Melaye, a former Minister of Youth and Sports; Solomon Dalong; Dele Momodu; and former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam.
Others present include a former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi; a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.).
