The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, describing him as stingy and questioning his capacity to govern Nigeria.
Wike made the remarks during an interactive town hall meeting with stakeholders in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he mocked Obi for carrying his own bags despite having served as governor of Anambra State.
According to the minister, Obi’s decision to carry his personal belongings himself was evidence of what he described as stinginess.
“As a former governor, you cannot be stingy not to have employed a personal assistant who will carry your bag. You want to show you carry your bag. We don’t want such a stingy person as a president,” Wike said.
He also dismissed Obi’s popularity on social media as insufficient preparation for the presidency, arguing that online influence did not necessarily translate into the experience and capacity required to govern a country as complex as Nigeria.
“Truly speaking, I gave him president of social media. If you were to vote who will be president of social media, I will vote for him. But if it is to govern Nigeria, it is capital no!” he stated.
The FCT minister further questioned Obi’s record as Anambra governor, urging Nigerians to assess his administration against the performance of the state’s incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo.
Wike also criticised politicians who defect to other parties amid internal disputes, insisting that leadership requires the ability to confront challenges rather than abandon an organisation when difficulties arise.
Citing his experience in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said he remained in the party during its internal crisis and fought his political battles instead of leaving.
“How will you solve the problem of the country? Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
Wike also expressed reservations about the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and questioned the reliability of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he said he had known since their days in the PDP.
He reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that he would back the ruling party in the 2027 presidential election.
Turning to the performance of previous administrations in Rivers State, Wike urged voters to scrutinise the records of political office seekers rather than rely solely on campaign promises.
He alleged that $39 million was spent on a proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital without the project progressing to the foundation stage.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, 53 billion naira, gone! As I speak to you, there is no foundation, no one block laid,” he claimed.
The minister also alleged that approximately N60 billion was spent on the state’s monorail project, questioning its functionality and the benefits it had delivered to residents.
On the sale of a gas turbine, Wike claimed that the transaction involved $308 million, but only $308,000 remained in the relevant state account when he assumed office in May 2015.
He further recalled a proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State to tackle mosquitoes, questioning the rationale behind the plan in a state sharing boundaries with several others.
Meanwhile, Wike announced that the Rainbow Coalition would unveil its candidates on Tuesday, October 27, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He disclosed that the coalition had chosen Kingsley Chinda as its preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election, adding that some of its candidates would contest on the APC platform despite the coalition drawing members from different political parties.
“Under the Rainbow Coalition in our state today, you see APC, PDP, all of us. No more Rivers of blood, no more shooting, not many people going to die,” he said.
The minister urged residents to support candidates he described as experienced and committed to public service, assuring them that concerns raised during the town hall meeting would receive attention.
He also commended the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road, describing it as a significant achievement that had improved transportation and eased the difficulties previously faced by residents travelling to and from the island community by boat.
Wike said he had informed President Tinubu of the road’s importance to Bonny residents, describing the project as a major benefit to the area.
