Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his frequent defections across Nigeria's major political parties, saying his actions are driven by a desperate ambition to become president.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike questioned Atiku's political consistency and described his movement from one party to another as unbecoming, especially for someone nearing 80 years of age.
"Atiku was in the PDP in 1999, then he joined the Action Congress AC. After AC, he returned to the PDP, later moved to the All Progressives Congress APC, and then back to the PDP again, all in pursuit of the presidential ticket," Wike said.
He continued with a personal jibe, "If I were his son, I would sit him down and ask: 'Dad, how can you keep hopping from one party to another at almost 80 years old?'"
The minister said this while reacting to Abubakar's latest defection from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP to the African Democratic Congress ADC as part of an emerging opposition coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in 2027.