Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Communications to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, believes that the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is obsessed with becoming the president.

Olayinka said this during an interview on Channels TV, following Atiku’s announcement on Wednesday that he had resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The only thing that interests Atiku Abubakar is to become Nigeria’s president. I’m beginning to wonder whether a doctor prescribed ‘presidency’ for him, and if he doesn’t become president, something will happen to him,” Olayinka said.

Reacting to Atiku’s resignation from the PDP, Olayinka said it is a case of ‘good riddance to bad rubbish,’ adding that the former vice president destroyed the political party.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish. Today, the PDP has been so destroyed and damaged by this one man, Atiku Abubakar, who is now gone,” he said.

“When highly spirited members of the party come together to rebuild the party, Atiku should not come back after he has failed in his new political journey because I know he is going to fail.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Wednesday reacted to Atiku’s resignation from the PDP.

Keyamo said in a post on his official X account that the obsession of the former vice president with his perennial presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.

According to Keyamo, the timing of Atiku’s announcement of his resignation from the PDP is wrong, especially at a time that Nigerians are mourning following the death of Muhammadu Buhari, the former president.

“Your Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, whilst I acknowledge that it is within your constitutional right to change political parties at anytime you may wish, however, releasing your letter of resignation from the PDP during this week of the mourning of our immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, is clearly an attempt to draw the spotlight away from such a solemn occasion and direct it on yourself,” Keyamo wrote on X.

“In fact (as the image below shows) you prepared, typed, signed and delivered that letter the morning after the passing away of the former president was announced.

“With the greatest respect to you, this clearly demonstrates that your obsession with your perennial presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.”