Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing him as a “president of social media” and questioning his ability to govern Nigeria.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he argued that online popularity alone was insufficient qualification for the presidency.
The minister said he would support Obi if the contest were limited to social media popularity but insisted that governing Nigeria required a different set of qualities.
“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 capital no!” Wike said.
He also criticised Obi for carrying his own bags, interpreting the practice as an attempt to portray himself as frugal.
According to Wike, a former governor seeking the presidency should not be unwilling to employ a personal assistant to handle such responsibilities.
“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,” he said.
Wike further challenged Nigerians to assess Obi’s record as Anambra governor by comparing his administration with that of the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo.
He maintained that political aspirants should be judged by their records in office, their ability to manage challenges and the tangible results of their leadership, rather than public perception and campaign promises.
The FCT minister also criticised politicians who abandon their parties during internal crises, citing his experience in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an example of why political disagreements should be confronted.
“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.
Turning to Rivers State, Wike accused the previous administration of spending public funds on projects that, according to him, failed to deliver commensurate benefits to residents.
He alleged that $39 million, which he estimated at approximately N53 billion, was spent on the proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital without the project reaching the foundation stage.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, 53 billion naira, gone! As I speak to you, there’s no foundation, no one block laid,” he said.
He also questioned the viability of the state’s monorail project, alleging that about N60 billion was spent on it without adequate returns for residents.
On the sale of a gas turbine, Wike claimed the transaction was valued at $308 million but alleged that only $308,000 remained in the relevant state account when he assumed office in May 2015.
The minister further recalled a proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State to combat mosquitoes, questioning the rationale behind the proposed expenditure.
The allegations concerning the projects and financial transactions were presented by Wike during the meeting.
Wike reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his intention to support the party in the 2027 presidential election.
He also criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket and questioned the reliability of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he said he had known since their days in the PDP.
The minister said the Rainbow Coalition had brought politicians from different parties together in Rivers State to reduce political tension and violence, even as members prepared to contest elections on different platforms.
“Under a Rainbow Coalition, that’s why 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.
Wike announced that the coalition would unveil its candidates on October 27, identifying Kingsley Chinda as its preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.
He also named candidates for other elective positions, noting that some would contest under the APC despite the coalition’s membership cutting across party lines.
The minister urged residents to support candidates he described as experienced and committed to public service.
He also assured stakeholders in Bonny that issues raised during the town hall meeting would receive attention.
Wike praised the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road, describing it as a major infrastructure milestone that had improved access to the island community and reduced residents’ dependence on boat travel.
He said he had informed President Tinubu of the road’s significance, stressing that improved infrastructure remained essential to Bonny’s development.
