The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, of working under a mandate from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine and destroy the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media adviser, made this assertion during an interview on Channels Television, as he responded to criticisms of Atiku’s inability to unify the PDP and manage its ongoing crises.

Ibe alleged that Wike is being used as a “man Friday” by the APC to destabilize the PDP.

“Everyone knows what has been going on in the PDP,” Ibe said. “The PDP has become the playground of the APC in their quest to destroy the opposition, including Labour Party, using the FCT minister. His mandate is to kill the PDP. That is the only mandate he has.”

Ibe also dismissed comments made by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who suggested that President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 was a foregone conclusion and advised Atiku to wait until 2031.

Calling Akume’s statements “irresponsible,” Ibe accused the APC of attempting to suppress the political aspirations of northern leaders, including Atiku, who are committed to challenging APC policies and governance.

“Why must we reward a student who did not pass his exams with promotion?” Ibe asked. “It seems the job of Akume is to kidnap the aspirations of any northerner trying to free the country from the challenges brought by the APC administration.”

Ibe reaffirmed that the PDP was still undergoing a process of recovery and rebuilding, emphasizing that efforts to strengthen the party remain a priority despite APC’s alleged interference.