By David Oluwatosin
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed Peter Obi’s presidential ambition, saying the former Labour Party candidate is better suited to the title of “president of social media” than governing Nigeria.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he questioned Obi’s political decisions, leadership record and ability to manage the country’s challenges.
“I give him president of social media. If it’s to vote president of social media, I’ll vote for him. But not to govern Nigeria,” the minister said.
Wike accused Obi of abandoning political parties whenever they encountered internal crises, arguing that such decisions raised questions about how he would handle national challenges.
“You ran under Labour Party, problem came, you ran. You ran from PDP, from Labour, you go to ADC, anywhere problem is, you run. How will you solve the problems of the country?” he asked.
The minister maintained that leadership requires the ability to manage disagreements, resolve disputes and remain engaged during difficult periods.
He cited his decision to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during its internal crisis as an example of his approach to political challenges.
“When there was a problem in PDP, did I run? I defeated them,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor also questioned Obi’s record during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
He referenced the performance of the state’s incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, in making his argument about governance and leadership.
Wike’s comments add to the political exchanges surrounding Obi’s presidential ambition and the wider opposition landscape ahead of the next general election.
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Wike also criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its presidential ticket, directing particular criticism at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The minister, who said he had belonged to the same party as Atiku, questioned the former vice-president’s consistency and reliability in political dealings.
“I was in the same party with Atiku, I know him. He’s a man you can’t take his words to the bank. He tells you something in the morning, it’s a different thing in the afternoon, it’s a different thing in the evening,” he said.
Wike further faulted the ADC’s decision to pair Atiku with former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, claiming the choice had weakened the opposition party’s presidential ticket.
“The presidential candidate of the ADC is already bad. He then worsened the ticket by bringing this fumigating… The ticket now became worse, in fact it has been buried,” Wike said.
The remarks reflect Wike’s criticism of key opposition figures, including Obi and Atiku, as political alignments and disagreements continue to shape the contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
