Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at Ovation Magazine publisher, Dele Momodu, accusing him of backing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar solely for financial gain.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Olayinka described Momodu as a “fairweather friend” who supports Atiku because of monetary benefits, claiming he would abandon the former vice president if the financial support ceased. “We are hearing all this noise from him because Atiku is paying his bills. Let Atiku stop paying, Oga Dele Momodu will move to the next victim,” he said.
Olayinka was responding to Momodu’s recent allegation that Wike was responsible for Peter Obi’s exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He dismissed the claim as baseless, saying, “Only someone like Dele Momodu, who does not have knowledge of anything apart from his stomach, would claim that it was Wike that drove Peter Obi out of the PDP.”
He went further to accuse Atiku of consistently undermining the PDP since 2003, alleging that the former vice president frustrated the party’s efforts to win Lagos State that year. “Atiku has been the weapon fashioned against the PDP since he frustrated the party’s efforts to win Lagos State in 2003,” Olayinka stated.
Olayinka also questioned Atiku’s sincerity regarding the 2023 presidential zoning debate. He noted that Atiku obtained the PDP’s Expression of Interest form before the zoning committee concluded its work, contradicting claims that he supported a South-East candidate. “Dele Momodu claimed Atiku wanted the PDP to field a candidate from the South-East, but conveniently ignored the fact that Atiku had already declared his interest,” he said.
He pointed to the departure of prominent PDP stakeholders as a sign of widespread discontent with Atiku’s leadership. He cited Senator Gbenga Daniel, Director General of Atiku’s 2019 campaign, and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Atiku’s 2023 running mate, both of whom left the PDP. “Was it Wike that made Senator Gbenga Daniel leave the PDP barely two weeks after the election? Was it Wike that made Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa leave the PDP?” he asked.
Olayinka added that former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel, who chaired Atiku’s 2023 campaign, and his successor Governor Umo Eno, were also distancing themselves from Atiku and the party. “Why did everyone who worked closely with Atiku during the 2019 and 2023 elections leave him afterwards? The reason can only be because someone is a selfish person who is only about himself alone,” he said.
Attempts to reach Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, and Dele Momodu for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Momodu’s phone was switched off, and calls to Ibe went unanswered. Messages sent to both had also not been returned.
ADEOLA KUNLE
