The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former vice-president Atiku Abubakar’s time in office, contending that his period of service, particularly his assessment by his former President Olusegun Obasanjo, deserved to be thoroughly examined.
Wike stated this during a Rainbow Coalition gathering on Thursday in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, challenging Atiku to provide an accounting of his eight-year tenure as vice-president under former President Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007.
Wike, having previously contested a presidential primary against Atiku, questioned the substantive outcomes of the former vice-president’s tenure, particularly his involvement in the federal government’s privatisation initiative.
“Atiku served as vice-president from 1999 to 2007. How many years? He was not merely a vice-president, but a powerful vice-president. He oversaw privatisation and all matters pertaining to government-owned companies and industries,” Wike stated.
He called upon Nigerians to evaluate Atiku’s governmental record rather than concentrate exclusively on his successive attempts to attain the presidency, maintaining that his public service performance should constitute a central component of discourse regarding his 2027 aspirations.
“Can anybody tell me, do you see the impact of Atiku Abubakar? No!” he asked.
Wike additionally referenced Obasanjo’s previous condemnation of his former subordinate, citing the former president’s documented expression of regret concerning his endorsement of Atiku’s appointment as vice-president.
The minister asserted that Obasanjo’s evaluation of their professional relationship should be incorporated into the assessment of Atiku’s political record.
He appealed to political stakeholders to rigorously examine the records of those pursuing the presidency and refrain from making determinations based exclusively on sentiment or partisan considerations.
