Why Tambuwal Dumped Wike for Atiku

Highlife

2023 is just around the corner and the presidential election for the determination of the next Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) is getting nearer and nearer. As a result, machinations are taking place here and there, and deep political schemes are bearing both anticipated and unpredicted fruits. So, after the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar won. The causes and implications are becoming clearer by the day.

More political analysts are investing their time and brains in determining how exactly Atiku won the PDP primaries. The former VP won by getting 371 votes, pulling ahead of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers who got 237 votes to clinch the party ticket. What were the factors that determined Atiku’s big win?

One of the identified factors so far is the decision of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to step down just before the primaries and support Atiku. According to political analysts, and Wike, Atiku was able to win by such a large margin because of Tambuwal’s action (although Wike referred to said action as betrayal).

But why? Tambuwal was a strong candidate. He might not have been able to win, but he would have likely gotten the support of many delegates, enough to build prestige for later political exercises. Well, there have been three reported reasons. One, Tambuwal realised that the presidency is no joke and decided to support who he deemed as the best candidate out of love for Nigeria and Nigerians. This is the official reason from Tambuwal’s camp.

The other reasons are not as flattering. One is that Tambuwal had always wanted to throw his weight behind Atiku, and all of this was a strategic attempt to keep power in the North. The last alleged reason is that Tambuwal understood the futility of contesting against Atiku, a very wealthy and desperate aspirant (much like Peter Obi did), and decided to secure a future for himself. In this future, big things would be in the offing for him.

Well, which is true? Perhaps only Tambuwal knows.