Wike, ambition, betrayal, and the looming political drama, by Eguando Tone-Jeff

I just watched Wike’s interview, and honestly, I can’t stand the hypocrisy.

His constant pontification about being a flawless politician is irritating. He criticizes others for doing exactly what he does, pretending it wasn’t his own political survival and future presidential ambition that made him support Tinubu.

Atiku is playing his own politics by contesting serially like every ambitious politician.
Buhari did contest more than once and even never wanted to take a shot because of his nature, and it eventually got Buhari into the presidency in 2015. Tinubu (PBAT) also played his game smartly, striking a political deal with Wike that ultimately paid off. Peter Obi took his shot by leaving Atiku and contesting under LP—it didn’t work out for him. Atiku, on the other hand, made his own political move by picking Okowa over Obi, and it cost him another shot at the presidency.

Of all the above, PBAT took a shot once and got lucky as a result of planning ,grace, or taking a shot at the right time?
No matter your position on the former, the most important thing is “Emi Lo Kan” is a reality!

Now imagine if Atiku had chosen Wike as his running mate and they lost—would Wike have ended up as FCT Minister today? Would he have had the political leverage to challenge a sitting governor like Fubara? Or does he think the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly would have stayed loyal to him? Would the President have declared a state of emergency in Rivers just to please him?

What tune would Wike be singing today if the roles were reversed—if Bala Mohammed were the one undermining the PDP after Wike lost as Atiku’s running mate in 2023 while hobnobbing with PBAT?

The point is this: Wike should cut the sermons about his so-called political perfection. Just like every other politician he criticizes during his media chats, he’s guilty of the same—if not worse.

Let’s talk about betrayal, ambition, inconsistency, and character—Wike has them all in abundance. He betrayed people like Peter Odili, Rotimi Amaechi, Patience Jonathan, and others. His ambition to become Nigeria’s president is what led him to pitch his tent with PBAT and actively undermine the PDP today.

We’ve all seen the videos of Wike insulting the APC, the same party he now serves under as FCT Minister. He once vowed to support whoever emerged as PDP’s flagbearer in 2023, but when he didn’t get the VP slot, he suddenly remembered that it was the South’s turn—let’s be honest, if Atiku had picked him as VP, would he still have cared about zoning?

President Bola Tinubu will, God willing, secure his second term. But what worries many of us in the APC is not 2027—it’s 2031. What happens after Tinubu’s tenure ends? If Wike doesn’t get the VP slot as compensation, we know the kind of political drama he might stir. He could hold weekly press conferences, spilling secrets about the Villa, power plays, elections, and private conversations spanning 2022 to 2031.

That’s the Wike we all know—and those close to the seat of power – better start preparing for the Wike Show.

–Tone-Jeff is a public affairs analyst