Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has launched an attack on Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, accusing him of backing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar solely for monetary reasons.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Lere Olayinka, Wike’s senior special assistant on public communications and social media, described Momodu as a “fairweather friend” who supports Atiku due to ongoing financial benefits, suggesting that the media mogul would quickly shift allegiance if those benefits ceased.
He dismissed Momodu’s recent claim that Wike was responsible for Peter Obi’s departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling the assertion unfounded and indicative of ignorance about party dynamics.
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“We are hearing all this noise from him because Atiku is paying his bills. Let Atiku stop paying, Oga Dele Momodu will move to the next victim.
“Only someone like Dele Momodu, who does not have knowledge of anything apart from his stomach, would claim that it was Wike that drove Peter Obi out of the PDP,” the statement said.
Olayinka went further to label Atiku as a divisive force within the PDP, accusing him of consistently undermining the party’s progress since 2003. He alleged that Atiku frustrated the PDP’s attempt to win Lagos State and continues to prioritise personal ambition over party unity.
“Atiku has been the weapon fashioned against the PDP since he frustrated the party’s efforts to win Lagos State in 2003,” he said.
He also questioned Atiku’s sincerity in calling for a South-East presidential candidate in the lead-up to the 2023 general elections, pointing out that Atiku had already obtained the party’s presidential nomination form before the zoning committee completed its work.
Olayinka referenced the departure of key PDP figures, such as Senator Gbenga Daniel, who directed Atiku’s 2019 campaign, and Ifeanyi Okowa, his 2023 running mate, as evidence of widespread discontent with Atiku’s leadership.
He also noted that former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel, who chaired Atiku’s 2023 campaign, and his successor, Governor Umo Eno, have distanced themselves from him.
He argued that the exodus of Atiku’s former allies reflects a deeper problem of self-centeredness and a failure to inspire loyalty within the party.
