Former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has declared that he would back former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, if the choice were about Nigeria’s future leadership.
Tambuwal made this statement during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, emphasizing that his political decisions are driven by principles, not personal affiliations.
“When it comes to the leadership of this country and the future of our people, I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike,” Tambuwal stated.
While acknowledging his cordial relationship with Wike, Tambuwal clarified that his past political alignments and choices have always been grounded in ideology and leadership values, not friendships.
“It’s never personal. You’ve never seen me go after President Bola Tinubu personally, nor have I done so with Wike. We may differ politically, but I separate friendship from leadership.”
Tambuwal referenced his earlier support for Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries, which was seen by many as a snub to Wike, who had felt sidelined by the party leadership.
Back in 2023, Wike openly criticized Tambuwal, Atiku, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, accusing them of betraying a party agreement to zone the PDP’s presidential ticket to the South.
“There’s no one contesting from the North I don’t have a relationship with,” Wike had said at the time, suggesting he had been instrumental in Tambuwal’s rise, including backing his bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives, only to be let down.
Tambuwal also reflected on his past political disagreements, including his departure from the PDP during Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency.
“I had no personal issues with Goodluck Jonathan. We simply disagreed on the direction of governance. It was purely policy-based. That was why I left the PDP for the APC,” he said.
In closing, Tambuwal drew a clear line between political conviction and personal ties:
“Even if Atiku walked into this room and Wike requested my phone, I’d hand it over to Wike, that’s personal. But when it comes to national leadership, I’ll make choices based on what I believe is best for Nigeria.”
