The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ruled out the possibility of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi winning the 2027 presidential election, saying the former Labour Party candidate is only fit to be the “president of social media.”
Wike stated that although Obi enjoys significant attention on social media, he does not believe the politician has what it takes to govern Nigeria.
Naija News reports that the FCT minister made the remarks on Saturday during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to Wike, he would vote for Obi if the contest were about popularity on social media rather than the ability to govern the country.
“Truly speaking, I gave Obi president of social media. If you were voting for president of social media, I would vote for him. But if it is to govern Nigeria, it is a capital NO!” Wike declared.
The minister also accused Obi of being stingy rather than humble, questioning why a former governor would carry his own bag instead of employing a personal assistant.
“As a former governor, you cannot be too stingy to employ a Personal Assistant to carry your bag. You want to show you carry your bag; we don’t want such a stingy person as president,” he said.
Wike Accuses Obi of Avoiding Political Crises
Wike also criticised Obi’s approach to political disagreements, accusing the former Anambra governor of leaving political parties whenever internal crises emerge rather than staying to resolve the problems.
The FCT minister argued that handling political disputes is an important test of leadership, questioning whether Obi could effectively manage Nigeria’s challenges if he did not remain in political parties during periods of disagreement.
“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,” Wike boasted.
His remarks add to the political exchanges surrounding the 2027 presidential election, with politicians and political groups already positioning themselves ahead of the contest.
Wike Criticises Amaechi-Era Projects in Rivers State
During the meeting, Wike also criticised the administration of former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, accusing it of spending billions of naira on projects that failed to deliver the expected benefits to residents.
He cited the proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, alleging that $39 million, which he put at approximately ₦53 billion, was spent without the construction of a single block.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, 53 billion naira, gone! As I speak to you, there’s no foundation, no one block laid,” Wike said.
The minister also questioned the Rivers State monorail project, claiming that more than ₦60 billion had been spent without completing the project.
Additionally, he alleged that a gas turbine valued at $308 million was sold and that only $308,000 remained in the state’s coffers when he assumed office in May 2015.
Wike further criticised a previous proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State against mosquitoes, questioning the rationale for such an expenditure in a coastal state with several neighbouring states.
The allegations concerning the projects and expenditures were made by Wike during the meeting.
Wike Says Rainbow Coalition Will Back Tinubu in 2027
The FCT minister also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 through his Rainbow Coalition.
According to Wike, the coalition brings together members of different political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said the political alliance was intended to promote peace and reduce political violence in Rivers State.
“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,” Wike stated.
The minister also announced that the coalition would formally unveil Kingsley Chinda as its governorship candidate in Rivers State for the 2027 election on Tuesday.
The planned unveiling is expected to form part of the coalition’s political activities ahead of the next general election.