Former Sokoto governor and senator for Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, has denied allegations that he betrayed Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2022 presidential primaries.
Tambuwal dropped out of the 2022 election to back former vice president Atiku Abubakar’s campaign.
Political experts characterised Tambuwal’s action as a turnabout in the PDP presidential primary because it gave Atiku the chance to win over more votes from delegates in the northwest.
Wike, the governor of Rivers at the time and Atiku’s main rival, received 237 votes, while the former vice president received 371 votes and was proclaimed the winner.
The PDP’s national chairman at the time, Iyorchia Ayu, called the former governor of Sokoto the “hero” of the national convention.
In an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Tambuwal stated that he has always maintained a friendly relationship with Wike and has never broken any agreements.
“I have nothing against Wike, I did not betray anybody. It is when you have an understanding with somebody and you go against it that you betray the person,” he said.
According to Tambuwal, his desire to become president was well-established before Wike entered the race.
“I was also running, he met me in the race. I was running for president of Nigeria. I was in from 2012/2013,” he said.
“My friend Nyesom Wike was not then. I was in the political calculus of Nigeria for the presidency of Nigeria since then.
“He (Wike) joined for the presidency of Nigeria in 2022, so who met who in the race?”
The former speaker of the house of representatives additionally revealed that Wike was aware of his ambition before declaring his interest.
“He gave me the indication, but he met me in the race. He knew that I was running,” Tambuwal added.
“If Atiku comes in here today and Wike comes in here and requests for this my phone, my personal phone, I will give it to Wike because he is my friend.”
Tambuwal concluded by stating that he would rather back Atiku over Wike if both men were the only choices to lead the country.
