Former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has declared that if it came down to choosing between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, he would support Atiku for the sake of Nigeria’s future.
Speaking on Politics Today on Friday, Tambuwal emphasized that his political decisions are guided by principles, not personal relationships.
“When it comes to leadership of this country and the future of our people—even tomorrow, not just today—I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike,” he stated.
Despite a history of political alliance with Wike, Tambuwal pointed to differences in leadership values. He clarified that any past or present political disagreements were never personal.
The relationship between Tambuwal, Atiku, and Wike has been strained since 2023, when Wike accused the two, along with Bukola Saraki, of failing to honour a zoning agreement within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was meant to allocate the party’s presidential ticket to the South.
At the time, Wike said: “There’s nobody contesting for the presidency from the North that I don’t have a relationship with or haven’t supported. Many have come to me saying, ‘With your support, I believe I’ll succeed.’ But my problem with friendships is this: if we agree on something, let’s stick to it.”
Wike also recalled supporting Tambuwal’s bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives, even when the party preferred another candidate.
Addressing his support for Atiku in the 2023 PDP presidential primaries, Tambuwal reiterated that his choices are driven by integrity and national interest.
“It’s about collaboration. It’s not difficult when your intentions are altruistic and not personal. You’ve never heard me attack President Bola Tinubu personally, nor have I done so with Wike,” he said.
Tambuwal explained that even his past disagreements with leaders like former President Goodluck Jonathan were rooted in policy and principle, not personal animosity.
“We had differences on the direction the country was heading. I had no personal issues with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. But based on those differences, I left the PDP for the APC,” he said.
Reinforcing the distinction between friendship and leadership, Tambuwal concluded: “It’s not about my friendship with anyone. I say this with all sense of responsibility: If Atiku Abubakar walks in here and Wike asks me for my phone—which is personal—I would still give it to Wike as a friend. But when it comes to leadership, I will stand with who I believe is best for Nigeria.”
