Politics

I never said Tinubu offered me senate ticket – Wike

Published

3 years ago

September 25, 2022

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike

The Rivers State Government yesterday described as false media reports quoting Governor Nyesom Wike as saying that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, offered him a senatorial ticket.

The government, in a statement signed by Wike’s Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said that there was no time during the governor’s media chat on Friday he made such a statement.

He said the story was false, baseless and ludicrous as the Rivers State governor “throughout the media chat never mentioned the name of the APC presidential candidate or alluded to him offering him a senatorial ticket.”-

Attached to the statement was the transcript of Wike’s interview in which he said: ‘First of all, this is how you know those who are prepared to run an election. Some of them collected presidential form at the same time collected senatorial form. You’ll know that those people are not serious to run.

‘I never collected senatorial form. Even after the whole thing, people said come and go for Senate, I said no, I won’t do that. I’ve already made a commitment that this Senate ticket should be zoned to this area (Etche) because they’ve never had it before. I must not be in power.’

READ ALSO:

Ebiri urged the unsuspecting public not to give any credence to “this false, baseless and ill motivated reports.”

Meanwhile, Wike travelled to London shortly after his Friday media parley.

With him in London is Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.

Chief spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Senator Dino Melaye, said yesterday that the PDP flag bearer would not sacrifice those elected by the party just to please those he labeled autocratic democrats.

Melaye in a statement against the backdrop of the latest demand for the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu by Governor Wike, declared that Atiku would do that which is right and lose the support of some party members than playing to the gallery to please autocratic democrats.

Melaye, also responding to the taunt of the APC Campaign Council in which Atiku was called the Divider-in-Chief in the PDP, accused the ruling party of trying to capitalise on the PDP crisis.

He said that contrary to the insinuation by the APC, Atiku was indeed being persecuted on account of his defence of democracy and respect for due process.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku as a long standing democrat will not sacrifice those elected by the party for his own ambition, just to please autocratic democrats.

“If by chance he loses the support of some party members on account of adhering to the rules, he would be satisfied that he acted right.

“The failure of Nigeria can be adduced substantially to the dominance of strong men who trample on weak institutions.

“Atiku will continue to support the enthronement of strong institutions that can minimise the excesses of political Goliaths. And as it happened to Goliath, strong men get defeated, no matter the length of their domination.

“Waiting to benefit from the internal synthesis that may play out in the PDP is a wait in futility. The tears of opposition are only flowing from the demonstrable capacity of Atiku for political sagacity. ”

Oraye: Why PDP should resolve its crisis now

A former aide of Governor Wike, Mr. Franklyn Oraye, has warned the PDP of the consequences of its going into the presidential campaign in its current deeply fractured status.

Oraye who served Wike as Special Assistant (SA) on Social Media, said in Port Harcourt that he wondered how the party wished to “attract the trust and votes of Nigerians, especially those of Southern extraction, given its now pro-Northern slant.”

He said:”One can readily see the manifest contradictions in the BOT Chairman of the party being prevailed upon to resign and a new BOT Chairman appointed, and in the suspension of the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket despite constitutional provisions on these matters.

“Governor Wike was right to raise these contradictions and throw up the need for the same procedural waivers that excused those actions, on the basis of the doctrine of necessity.”

The Nation

Related Topics:Featured senate ticket Tinubu Wike

Up Next

Tinubu/Shettima ticket: Dogara, ex-SGF Lawal warned against polity overheat

Don't Miss

Over 2,000 PDP, SDP members in Makinde’s council join APC

Politics

Ex-APC Chairman Ganduje Discusses Kano Politics, National Leadership Plans

Published

1 day ago

February 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Former APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and ex-Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

Ex-APC Chairman Ganduje Discusses Kano Politics, National Leadership Plans

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and ex-Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has opened up about life after leaving office, his ongoing projects, and the future of Kano State politics in an exclusive interview.

Ganduje described life after office as less stressful but still busy, noting that he remains actively involved in party politics both in Kano and Abuja. He explained that while the pressures of leadership are gone, politics and governance never truly end. “You can’t just stop, since politics and governance never really end,” he said.

The former governor revealed that he is spending much of his time writing books to keep his mind sharp and contribute to knowledge-based politics. Among his current projects are “Abuja: Evolutionary Development of a City in Nigeria’s Capital Territory,” “Progressive Leadership and Sustainability of Democracy in Nigeria,” and “Progressive Party Ideology and Philosophical Direction.” Ganduje stressed the importance of education, research, and ideology in sustaining democracy and shaping effective governance.

READ ALSO:

Reflecting on his early life, Ganduje highlighted how knowledge, experience, and patience shaped his political journey. From attending primary school in a remote village to earning a PhD from the University of Ibadan, he emphasized that education and persistence were crucial in achieving his goals. His career spanned roles as local government secretary, commissioner, deputy governor, governor, and APC national chairman, providing him with extensive governance experience from the grassroots to the national level.

On Kano politics, Ganduje expressed pride that his predictions of a progressive return to APC in the state have been realized. He highlighted APC’s success in delivering the highest number of delegates and votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during primaries and defeating the PDP in the general election by over 500,000 votes.

Addressing the Kwankwasiyya Movement and former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ganduje dismissed claims that the movement could challenge APC dominance in Kano. “The Kwankwasiyya Movement will not have any impact. Even though you see large crowds, the APC can mobilize bigger numbers if we choose,” he said, stressing that public sentiment favors APC due to concerns over the use of state resources for national ambitions by opposition leaders.

Ganduje also left the door open for political reconciliation with Kwankwaso, provided they share a common vision for the state and country. “I am ready. Politics is about interests. There are no permanent enemies or friends… What matters is what we want to achieve,” he said.

On the national stage, Ganduje addressed fears that northern Nigeria may not support President Tinubu in 2027, dismissing the notion as wrong. He emphasized that most Northerners accept the rotation of the presidency and are supportive of Tinubu completing his term. “Politics will always have noise, but the reality on the ground is different,” he added.

Ganduje’s reflections highlight the intersection of political strategy, education, and leadership experience in shaping both personal legacy and the future trajectory of Kano State and Nigerian politics.

Ex-APC Chairman Ganduje Discusses Kano Politics, National Leadership Plans

Politics

El-Rufai Says Son Bello Remains Loyal to APC Despite Criticism of Party

Published

2 days ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai

El-Rufai Says Son Bello Remains Loyal to APC Despite Criticism of Party

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has clarified that his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by personal conviction, even as he continues to critique the ruling party. Bello currently represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, where he serves his constituents independently of his father’s political stance.

El-Rufai made the disclosure during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday evening, shortly after reportedly resisting an attempted detainment by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his return from Egypt. The former governor, now a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), emphasised that Bello is mature enough to chart his own political path.

READ ALSO:

“My son Bello was elected under the platform of the APC and his electorate seem to be happy with the work he is doing, so since he is an adult of over 30 years, he can make his own choices. Politics is about personal preference,” El-Rufai said, explaining that his son’s continued stay in APC does not contradict his own opposition to the party.

He added that if Bello chooses to remain within the APC without engaging in any of the party’s perceived wrongdoing, guided by the values and home training he received, “then Alhamdulillah.”

Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, born in 1988, has represented Kaduna North since 2023 and currently chairs the House Committee on Banking Regulations. His work in the National Assembly has earned commendations from constituents, reinforcing his independent political credibility within the APC framework.

El-Rufai’s clarification comes amid ongoing political realignments in Nigeria, where personal choices sometimes diverge from family or party affiliations. The statement highlights the balance between individual political conviction and broader party loyalty, particularly in high-profile political families.

El-Rufai Says Son Bello Remains Loyal to APC Despite Criticism of Party

Politics

Atiku Denies Fayose’s Claims About 2027 Vice-Presidential Talks With Makinde

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Atiku Denies Fayose’s Claims About 2027 Vice-Presidential Talks With Makinde

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly refuted claims by former Ekiti State governor Peter Ayodele Fayose alleging that Governor Seyi Makinde had agreed to run as his vice-presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described Fayose as a “serial political gossip” and dismissed the report as a “reckless and malicious fabrication” consisting of “beer parlour tales of infamy.”

Fayose had alleged that Makinde agreed to the vice-presidential slot and pledged ₦10 billion in contributions, a claim Atiku denied entirely. Shaibu said the account was not insider information but “insider fiction, manufactured to mislead, distract and provoke.”

READ ALSO:

“There were no negotiations over vice-presidential tickets. There were no discussions about ₦10 billion contributions. There were no zoning manipulations. There were no delegate-delivery guarantees. And there is certainly no clandestine ‘Dubai meeting’ on any such agenda,” the statement read.

Atiku’s office emphasized that his political engagements are broad-based, principled, and national in scope, and not transactional or clandestine, as alleged. The statement further warned the public against giving credibility to reports from individuals who “attempt to manufacture relevance by inventing tales around serious national figures.”

The former vice president also clarified that during his recent visit to the residence of former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida, no discussions about vice-presidential arrangements took place.

Shaibu urged Nigerians to treat the publication with contempt, stressing that “falsehood may trend for a moment, but it collapses under the weight of truth.”

Atiku remains focused on principled engagement and building coalitions ahead of the 2027 elections, rejecting backroom political theatrics as “mischievously and irresponsibly portrayed.”