Why I didn’t support Peter Obi during 2023 presidential election — Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he chose not to support Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi during the 2023 general elections.

Addressing journalists during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, Wike said he did not see Obi as a viable contender, dismissing him as a “social media candidate.”

“No, he has no chance to win election,” Wike stated. “I don’t go to where you see people like this kind of social media candidates. I don’t do social media candidate.”

Wike, who served as governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, said his approach to politics involves assessing candidates based on their electability rather than their popularity on digital platforms.

“I said I see that as a politician, and I analyse the candidate who is likely to win,” he said.

He argued that electoral success in Nigeria goes beyond being the most qualified or being widely celebrated online.

“In politics, it’s not always the right that oh, this is the best candidate. No, no, no,” he said. “You see Nigerians today, in politics, so many factors come in.”

Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Wike highlighted the turbulent atmosphere created by the naira redesign policy and widespread fuel scarcity. According to him, these factors posed significant challenges, especially for the ruling party’s candidate.

“It was very very turbulent for Tinubu to get to that election,” he remarked. “It is one party administration. You could see people don’t want to speak the truth before that election.”

Wike praised President Bola Tinubu for overcoming those obstacles and ultimately emerging victorious, despite internal party challenges.

“No party in government would at that time bring some policy when you know you’re running an election,” he said. “But everything was done and he survived. He survived it.”

He concluded by attributing Tinubu’s victory to both divine support and political mastery.

“So that’s how you know that there are people, first of all, God is on their side. Two, they also know this game. You must give it to them.”

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