Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed that he did not support the 2023 presidential bid of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar, insisting that his decision was based on principles of equity, fairness, and justice.

Speaking during a media parley on Monday, Wike stated that from the onset, he publicly declared his opposition to Atiku’s candidacy and deliberately avoided all meetings and campaign events related to it.

“I made it very clear that I was not going to support Atiku Abubakar,” Wike said. “I never hid it. I did not attend their meetings because I believed it was the turn of the South to produce the presidency.”

Dismissing accusations of being double-faced, the former Rivers State governor maintained that his position remained consistent throughout the election season. “They said I supported Atiku publicly and acted otherwise. That’s not true. I was open about my decision from the beginning.”

Explaining his political choices, Wike revealed that he weighed the chances of the major candidates and concluded that APC’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the strongest prospects for victory and capacity for leadership.

“In my judgment, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the best chance to win and also the ability to take Nigeria out of where it was. And I was right, Tinubu won,” he said.

Defending his role in the current APC-led administration, Wike called for a broader view of governance that transcends partisanship. “People forget history. When Bola Tinubu, a prominent opposition figure, became Attorney General of the Federation, people questioned it. But for nation-building, we must look beyond politics.”