FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, describing him as stingy and questioning his suitability to become Nigeria’s president ahead of the 2027 general election.
Wike made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Bonny, Rivers State, where he mocked Obi for carrying his own bags rather than employing a personal assistant, according to a report by Vanguard.
The minister argued that a former governor seeking to lead Africa’s most populous country should have someone to assist him with 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,” Wike said.
He also dismissed Obi’s popularity on social media, describing him as the “president of social media” while questioning whether his online support would translate into effective leadership of the country.
“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!” the minister added.
Wike also questioned Obi’s record during his tenure as Anambra governor, referencing the performance of his successor, Chukwuma Soludo, although he did not provide specific performance figures in the account of his remarks.
The former Rivers State governor further criticised politicians who leave their parties during internal disputes, using the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to defend his decision to remain in the party.
“Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
Wike also questioned the opposition’s political arrangements, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 election.
The minister’s comments come as political alignments and disputes within opposition parties continue to feature in discussions ahead of the next general election.
Beyond his criticism of opposition figures, Wike raised questions about several projects and financial transactions associated with the previous Rivers State administration.
He alleged that $39 million, which he valued at approximately ₦53 billion, had been spent on the proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital without construction reaching 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 said.
Wike also questioned the reported ₦60 billion monorail project, raised concerns about an alleged $308 million gas turbine sale and criticised a proposed $10 million mosquito fumigation exercise.
The claims concern public projects and transactions, but the account of Wike’s remarks did not include supporting documents or responses from the individuals involved. The allegations could not be independently established from the information provided.
On the political situation in Rivers State, Wike announced that the Rainbow Coalition would unveil its candidates on October 27. He named Kingsley Chinda as the coalition’s preferred candidate for the Rivers governorship race and said some candidates aligned with the group would contest under the APC platform.
Wike described the coalition as bringing together politicians from different parties, including the APC and PDP, and said the arrangement was intended to reduce political violence in the state.
“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.
His remarks combined attacks on opposition figures at the national level with criticism of projects linked to the previous Rivers administration and an outline of the coalition’s plans for the state’s political contests.
Obi’s response to Wike’s latest comments was not included in the account provided. The allegations concerning Rivers State projects also remain claims made by the minister unless supported by independently verified records or findings.
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