ABUJA, Nigeria — Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto State, has dismissed allegations that he betrayed Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2022 presidential primary.
Tambuwal, who withdrew from the contest to endorse former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was widely seen as having altered the balance of the race in Atiku’s favour.
Atiku ultimately secured 371 votes to Wike’s 237.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, September 5, 2025, Tambuwal rejected suggestions that his decision amounted to a betrayal.
“I have nothing against Wike, I did not betray anybody. It is when you have an understanding with somebody and you go against it that you betray the person,” he said.
Tambuwal argued that his presidential ambition predated Wike’s entry into the race.
“I was also running, he met me in the race. I was running for president of Nigeria. I was in from 2012/2013,” he said.
“My friend Nyesom Wike was not then. I was in the political calculus of Nigeria for the presidency of Nigeria since then. He joined for the presidency of Nigeria in 2022, so who met who in the race?”
He added that Wike was aware of his plans before declaring his own ambition.
“He gave me the indication, but he met me in the race. He knew that I was running,” Tambuwal said.
Despite tensions surrounding the 2022 convention, Tambuwal described his relationship with Wike as cordial.
“If Atiku comes in here today and Wike comes in here and requests for this my phone, my personal phone, I will give it to Wike because he is my friend,” he said.
Still, he was unequivocal about where his political loyalty lies.
“Even tomorrow, I would rather support Atiku instead of Nyesom Wike for the leadership of this country,” Tambuwal declared.
At the time of the primary, then-PDP Chairman Iyorchia Ayu had hailed Tambuwal as the “hero” of the convention for stepping aside and backing Atiku.
