Wike’s aide Olayinka slams Dele Momodu as Atiku’s paid ally amid PDP crisis

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faced heightened internal strife on Wednesday, April 30, as Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, launched a fierce attack on PDP chieftain and Ovation Magazine publisher Dele Momodu.

In a statement, Olayinka accused Momodu of being a “fair-weather friend” whose loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is driven by financial gain. “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,” Olayinka said.

Olayinka rejected Momodu’s claim that Wike forced Peter Obi out of the PDP, stating, “Only someone like Dele Momodu, who does not have knowledge of anything apart from his stomach, would make such a baseless claim.”

He labelled Atiku a divisive force, alleging, “Atiku has been the weapon fashioned against the PDP since he frustrated the party’s efforts to win Lagos State in 2003.” Olayinka questioned Atiku’s commitment to zoning the 2023 PDP presidential ticket to the Southeast, noting, “Why did Atiku obtain the Expression of Interest Form to contest for the PDP presidential ticket even when the Zoning Committee was yet to decide on zoning arrangement?”

Highlighting defections from Atiku’s camp, Olayinka asked, “Was it Wike that made Senator Gbenga Daniel, the Director General of Atiku’s 2019 campaign, leave the PDP less than two weeks after the election? Was it Wike that made Atiku’s 2023 running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, leave the party?”

He added that former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel and his successor, Governor Umo Eno, are also reportedly exiting, attributing these to Atiku’s “selfishness”.

Olayinka mocked Momodu’s suggestion that Wike distanced himself from the Southeast, saying, “Wike is a proud Ikwerre man, unlike Dele Momodu, who isn’t proud of his Edo origin.”

This follows Momodu’s recent criticisms of PDP defections, including calling Okowa’s move to the All Progressives Congress (APC) “opportunistic” and defending Atiku’s loyalty to the PDP.

Olayinka has previously challenged Momodu’s credibility, accusing him in January 2025 of promoting military regimes via Ovation and urging him to “criticise with sense” over Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara’s actions.