Wike Explains Why He Didn’t Back Peter Obi in 2023, Calls Him a ‘Social Media Candidate

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has clarified his reasons for not supporting Labour Party’s Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Wike dismissed Obi’s chances of winning, labeling him a “social media candidate” with no realistic path to victory.

“No, he had no chance to win the election,” Wike stated. “I don’t follow social media candidates. I don’t engage with such.”

The former Rivers State governor emphasized that as a seasoned politician, he prioritizes analyzing candidates based on their electability rather than online popularity.

“As a politician, I assess who is most likely to win,” he said. “In Nigerian politics, being the ‘best’ candidate doesn’t guarantee victory—many factors come into play.”

Wike also highlighted the turbulent conditions of the 2023 polls, citing the controversial naira redesign policy and fuel scarcity as major hurdles. He praised President Bola Tinubu for overcoming these challenges to win the election.

“It was extremely difficult for Tinubu to succeed under those circumstances,” Wike noted. “No ruling party should introduce such disruptive policies during an election. Yet, he survived it all.”

He credited Tinubu’s victory to a combination of divine favor and political expertise, stating, “You must acknowledge that some people have God’s backing and understand the game. Tinubu is one of them.”