Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has reignited controversy over the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries, claiming he was on track to win but fell victim to backroom deals, rigging orchestrated by former Senate President David Mark, and a tactical error by his supporters.
In a candid interview on Channels Television's Politics Today on September 18, 2025, Wike detailed how northern PDP stakeholders allegedly conspired at the residence of retired General Ali Gusau to consolidate support behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ultimately secured the ticket with 371 votes to Wike's 237.
Wike recounted that key northern aspirants, including former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, were pressured to withdraw but refused, forcing a shift in strategy.
"I was going to win the 2022 PDP presidential primaries, but it turned out they were meeting in General Ali Gusau's house. They told Saraki and Bala Mohammed to withdraw; they refused," Wike said.
He further alleged that Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal was induced to step down mid-convention after being promised the Senate presidency if PDP won the general election, a move that "removed the carpet from under my feet."
The minister reserved sharp criticism for David Mark, who served as Chief Returning Officer for the primaries.
Wike accused Mark of leveraging his military background—specifically, experience from alleged coup plotting—to manipulate the vote count.
"David Mark used his military coup experience to rig the election," Wike stated, describing it as a betrayal that skewed results in Atiku's favor.
Wike also reflected on his own misstep, admitting that allowing supporters in Kano and Katsina to wear branded uniforms made them easily identifiable and vulnerable to counter-strategies.
"The mistake I made was allowing my supporters in Kano and Katsina to wear our uniform," he confessed, calling it a naive error in a high-stakes political arena.
These revelations comes amid Wike's ongoing defense of President Bola Tinubu's administration and his reconciliation with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara following the recent lifting of emergency rule in the state.
The 2022 PDP primaries, held at Abuja's MKO Abiola Stadium, were marked by intense regional rivalries, with northern elders reportedly intervening to unify behind Atiku after Tambuwal's dramatic withdrawal.
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