ABUJA — The long-standing cold war between the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has flared into an open confrontation over the electoral soul of Rivers State.
In a strongly worded statement released via his media office on Monday, Atiku Abubakar told the FCT Minister in no uncertain terms that the voters of Rivers State are “enlightened, free, and sovereign,” and are not the personal property of any individual politician. The rebuttal comes on the heels of recent public comments by Wike, in which the Minister suggested that his political machinery remains the sole gatekeeper of the state’s electoral returns.
The Myth of the “Political Landlord”
Atiku’s intervention strikes at the heart of Wike’s reputation as the “landlord” of Rivers politics. For years, Wike has paraded his ability to “deliver” the state to his preferred candidates—a claim bolstered by the controversial 2023 polls where Rivers, traditionally a PDP stronghold, saw a fractured result following Wike’s fallout with the party’s national leadership.
“No one man can claim ownership over the conscience of millions,” Atiku’s statement read. “The era of political mercantilism, where a self-styled godfather treats the votes of the people as a bargaining chip for personal relevance in Abuja, is coming to an end. Rivers people voted for progress and democracy, not to be annexed into a personal estate.”
A Party in Limbo
Political analysts suggest that Atiku’s “fire back” is a calculated move to embolden the pro-Atiku faction within the Rivers State PDP, currently led by figures who have felt sidelined by Wike’s alliance with the ruling APC government. By framing the struggle as one of “freedom for the voters,” Atiku is attempting to chip away at the fear and loyalty that Wike’s structure has commanded since 2015.
The PDP remains in a state of suspended animation, with Wike serving as a Minister in an APC cabinet while technically remaining a PDP member. Atiku’s latest broadside indicates that the “peace talks” rumored to be happening behind the scenes have failed, and the battle for the 2027 ticket will be fought in the trenches of the South-South.
