2027: ‘He’s injured Atiku, Obi too much’ — Lere Olayinka defends Wike’s ‘payback’ fear

Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the minister’s concern that he could face political retaliation if either former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi wins the 2027 presidential election.

Olayinka spoke on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Friday while reacting to Wike’s recent declaration that he could be among the first politicians targeted if the opposition defeats President Bola Tinubu at the polls.

Wike had said his open support for Tinubu’s re-election had made him a target of opposition forces, but insisted that he had no regrets about his political position.

“I will be the first politician that I think they will come after. I will be the first politician. I know they will come for my head,” Wike had said.

Explaining the minister’s position, Olayinka described him as a realist who was conscious of the political consequences of his actions and alliances.

“One thing you must understand about Wike is that he is a realist. He does not deceive himself. If today government changes, he knows he was part of those who were instrumental to Atiku not winning the election,” Olayinka said.

He noted that Wike’s strained relationship with Atiku dated back to the 2023 presidential election, when the minister and other members of the G-5 opposed the former vice-president’s candidacy.

“So Atiku people see Wike as an enemy, who did not allow Atiku to win election in 2023. The same thing with Peter Obi people. So, if Atiku becomes president today, he (Wike) is automatically a target. So he knows,” Olayinka said.

Asked whether Wike had previously used the possibility of political retaliation against his opponents, Olayinka declined to make a definitive claim.

“I’m not going to tell you that people have applied it,” he said.

He, however, maintained that Wike’s fear of possible retaliation was understandable given the depth of the political disagreements between him and the opposition figures.

“He has injured Atiku too much. He has injured Peter Obi too much, and when you injure people politically, you should expect a kind of a payback,” Olayinka said.

According to him, Wike was not under any illusion that his current political alignment would be forgotten if power changed hands after the 2027 election.

“So he’s not deceiving himself to believe that if Atiku become president tomorrow, he will now become Atiku’s friend. No, he is not deceiving himself to have that kind of belief,” he said.