Wike blasts Peter Obi at road commissioning in FCT, challenges jim to compare records

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, launched a fresh round of political fire on Thursday during the commissioning of a newly completed road project in Abuja, taking direct aim at Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Wike, known for his fiery rhetoric, revealed that the road being commissioned came to the government’s attention through a concerned citizen, whom he acknowledged and praised for civic responsibility.

However, his remarks quickly shifted into a sharp criticism of Obi, accusing him of politicizing infrastructure issues in the FCT.

“There is one social media man who calls himself a presidential candidate,” Wike said, without initially naming names. “He went to a school in the FCT and said we did not provide toilets. Imagine! He plays politics with everything.”

The minister went further, calling out Obi by name and questioning his record as governor of Anambra State.

“When he was governor for eight years, did he develop the entire Anambra? Instead, he carried the state’s money and put it in his bank,” Wike alleged. “That is why his successors have been struggling.”

Throwing down the gauntlet, Wike challenged Obi to a public comparison of governance outcomes.

“I challenge him to come out publicly and compare what he did for eight years in Anambra with what we have done in the FCT in just two years.”

In a final jab, Wike mocked Obi’s presidential ambition, referencing the Labour Party’s internal leadership struggles and the candidate’s popularity on social media.

“Someone who cannot manage a political party as a presidential candidate is talking about managing a complex country like Nigeria,” Wike said. “He will remain a social media president.”

Peter Obi has not yet publicly responded to the minister’s statements.

Background

Peter Obi, who served as governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, ran for president in the 2023 general elections under the Labour Party banner and continues to maintain strong support online and among younger voters. Wike, a key figure in the current administration, has often been vocal in his criticism of opposition figures.

The political rivalry between the two is seen by analysts as part of the broader tensions ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.