The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) represents a coalition, while criticizing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his pattern of switching political parties in pursuit of presidential tickets.

Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike questioned Atiku's recent move to the ADC, characterizing it as part of a long-standing pattern rather than a genuine coalition-building effort.

"How is ADC a coalition? How is it a coalition? These are people that all their political history they have been known for decamping from one party to another, so every political period you do coalition," Wike stated.

The FCT Minister traced Atiku's political journey, highlighting his numerous party switches over the decades. "Atiku was in PDP in 1999 under Obasanjo and he later joined AC. After AC he came back to PDP and moved again to APC, from there he came back to PDP again just to get presidential ticket every time. From PDP he has gone to ADC," he recounted.

In a particularly pointed remark, Wike said, "If I'm his son I will sit him down and say 'dad, for whatever it's worth how can you tell me that you have made this history of jumping from one party to another till you are almost 70 years, how?'"

Wike also questioned the narrative of "rescue" often associated with such political movements, asking, "Rescue what? Who has sank? You were VP for eight years, the chairman of the National Economic Council. So what happened? You are moving from one party to another does not mean coalition."

The minister suggested that Atiku's latest move was motivated by his diminishing prospects within the PDP. "The way the PDP is now he can't get the presidential ticket so he goes and join the coalition," Wike concluded.

This exchange adds another chapter to the ongoing political rivalry between Wike and Atiku, which intensified following the 2023 presidential elections when Wike, despite being a PDP member, supported Bola Tinubu of the APC.

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