Wike Blasts Peter Obi, Calls Him Stingy And Unfit To Become Nigeria’s President

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, describing him as stingy and questioning his suitability to lead Nigeria as president.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Wike made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Bonny, Rivers State, where he questioned Obi’s decision to carry his own luggage rather than employ a personal assistant.

The minister argued that a former governor seeking the nation’s highest political office should demonstrate a different approach to leadership, using the incident to portray Obi as excessively frugal.

Wike also described the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate as the “president of social media,” suggesting that online popularity alone was insufficient to demonstrate the capacity to govern Nigeria.

He further questioned Obi’s record as Anambra governor, referencing the administration of the state’s incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo.

The FCT minister also criticised politicians who abandon their parties during periods of internal disagreement, citing his decision to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite its prolonged internal challenges.

Wike maintained that he had remained in the party and confronted its difficulties rather than defecting. He also questioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential platform and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while reaffirming his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

The minister also revisited several projects and financial transactions associated with the previous Rivers State administration, making allegations about the expenditure of public funds.

He claimed that $39 million, which he valued at approximately ₦53 billion, had been spent on a proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, alleging that construction had not progressed 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,” Wike said while questioning the project’s implementation.

He also raised concerns over the reported ₦60 billion monorail project, a purported $308 million gas turbine sale and a proposed $10 million mosquito fumigation exercise.

The allegations concerning the projects and financial transactions were not independently verified in the information available, and no response from the individuals or parties concerned was included in the account.

Turning to Rivers State politics, Wike announced that the Rainbow Coalition was expected to unveil its candidates on October 27. He identified House of Representatives member Kingsley Chinda as the coalition’s preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship contest.

Wike explained that the coalition brought together politicians from different political parties, including the APC and PDP, and indicated that some of its candidates would contest elections on the APC platform.

He said the coalition’s objective was to promote political cooperation in Rivers State and reduce violence associated with political competition.

The minister’s comments come as political parties and influential figures begin positioning themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, with debates over leadership, party loyalty, governance and political alliances expected to intensify in the coming months.