Atiku’s PDP Exit: Wike’s Aide Calls It “Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish”

Abuja, Nigeria – The political landscape in Nigeria witnessed another dramatic shift as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prompting strong reactions from party officials. Among the most vocal critics was Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the Federal Capital Territory Minister.

A History of Departures

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Olayinka didn’t mince words, describing Atiku’s departure as “good riddance to bad rubbish.” He emphasized that this wasn’t Atiku’s first exit from the PDP, recalling similar moves in 2007 and 2014.

“The headline should have been ‘Atiku Abubakar leaves PDP again,'” Olayinka remarked. “Since 2007, he has been leaving. If he chose to leave now, fine. Then the party can begin to look at itself and bring itself together again.”

Allegations of Anti-Party Activities

The media aide didn’t stop there. He accused Atiku of being “the weapon fashioned against the PDP,” citing several instances where the former vice president allegedly worked against the party’s interests:

• In 2003, allegedly frustrating PDP’s efforts to win Lagos State
• In 2007, forming Action Congress while still holding PDP mandate as vice president
• In 2014, leading the rebellion that “pulled down the PDP”

Presidential Ambition or Personal Vendetta?

Olayinka questioned Atiku’s relentless pursuit of the presidency: “I begin to wonder, is it that a doctor prescribed presidency to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, so that if you don’t become president, something will happen to you?”

He suggested that Atiku’s political maneuvers were purely self-serving: “The only thing that is important to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is Atiku and Abubakar. The moment he’s in this party and cannot get a ticket to contest, he moves to another party.”

Prediction of Future Moves

The FCT minister’s aide made a bold prediction about Atiku’s latest political adventure with the African Democratic Congress coalition, which he dubbed a “coalition of confusion”:

“Write this one down. After this experiment in their coalition, he will still leave and probably come back to the PDP, as he has been doing.”

Timing Criticism

Olayinka also criticized the timing of Atiku’s resignation letter, which came while Nigeria was still mourning former President Muhammadu Buhari:

“The same Atiku has been in Daura. He couldn’t even wait for the seven-day mourning period of Buhari to end before making a political decision. I don’t understand why somebody would be so desperate to this extent.”

Advice for PDP

Despite his harsh words for Atiku, Olayinka acknowledged that the PDP needed to regroup:

“What I believe is that the PDP should now begin to put its house in order. It might not be necessarily to make a good showing next year, I mean 2027, because it is very close now.”

The political drama continues to unfold as Nigeria prepares for another election cycle, with Atiku’s latest move adding fuel to an already heated political environment.

Full credit to the original publisher: Sahel Standard