Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, describing him as more suited to being the ‘president of social media’ than leading Nigeria.
At a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, the former governor of the state questioned Obi’s leadership style and ability to manage the country’s challenges.
Wike accused Obi of abandoning political parties whenever they experienced internal crises, citing his moves from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Labour Party and subsequently to other political platforms.
Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections and has since moved from there to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the NDC.
‘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.
‘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’? the minister asked.
Wike argued that effective leadership required the ability to resolve problems rather than abandon an organisation when challenges arose.
He maintained that he had remained in the PDP during its internal crisis and had confronted the party’s challenges rather than leave.
‘When there was a problem in PDP, did I run? I defeated them’, he said.
The FCT minister also questioned Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the state’s incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, had demonstrated his performance in office.
Wike subsequently turned his criticism to the ADC and its presidential ticket, describing a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as untrustworthy.
‘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’, Wike said.
He also criticised the ADC’s reported decision to pair Atiku with former Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, arguing that the choice had further weakened the 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.
His remarks add to the exchanges among political figures as preparations continue for the 2027 general elections.
