I’ve no regret ensuring you lost presidential election, will do it again – Wike tells Atiku

Wike was responding to Atiku’s explanation for not choosing him as his running mate in the election in preference to Ifeanyi Okowa, the former Delta State governor.

Atiku had said in an interview with Adesina Giwa-Osagie, did not regret  ignoring Wike as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election because he was the number two on the list of candidates recommended to him and he chose the number one.

Addressing why he chose Okowa over Wike, Atiku stated that he deliberately left the decision to the PDP.

“They said I did not consult widely in 2019 when I picked Peter Obi as my running mate, so in 2023, I told the party to set up a committee to recommend three names,” Atiku said.

Atiku said the committee ranked Okowa as the top choice, with Wike in second place and former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel in third.

“So I picked number one,” he said.

However, speaking through, Lere Olayinka, his media aide, Wike said he has no regret that Atiku refused to pick him as his running mate during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.

He claimed to have cost Atiku the election and promised to repeat the feat.

Posting on X, Olayinka wrote: “Two years after making the @OfficialPDPNig lose a presidential election it could have won, @atiku is giving reasons he did not pick @GovWike as his running mate and that he has no regrets.

“Someone should tell our serial presidential election contester that Wike also has no regret for ensuring that he failed in the election and will make sure that he fails again and again.”