The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, describing him as too stingy to become Nigeria’s president.
Wike made the remarks during a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he questioned Obi’s leadership style and suitability for the presidency ahead of the 2027 general election.
The minister took a swipe at Obi over his habit of carrying his own bags, arguing that a former governor seeking to lead the country should have a personal assistant to handle such responsibilities.
“As a former governor, you cannot be stingy not to have employed a personal assistant who will carry your bag. You want to show you carry your bag. We don’t want such a stingy person as a president,” Wike said.
He also dismissed Obi’s popularity on social media, describing him as a potential “president of social media” while arguing that online support alone was insufficient to demonstrate the ability to govern Nigeria.
“If you were to vote who will be president of social media, I will vote for him. But if it is to govern Nigeria, it is capital no!” the minister added.
Wike further questioned Obi’s record during his tenure as Anambra State governor, referring to the performance of the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, in his assessment of Obi’s leadership.
The FCT minister also criticised politicians who leave political parties during periods of internal crisis, citing his decision to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite its internal challenges.
“Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
Wike also expressed reservations about the opposition’s political direction and questioned the leadership surrounding the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
He subsequently declared his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
His comments have added to the growing political exchanges among prominent Nigerian figures as political activities intensify ahead of the next general election.
While Wike questioned Obi’s leadership credentials, his remarks about the former governor’s personal spending habits remain his own assessment rather than independent evidence of Obi’s capacity to govern.
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