A political feud has escalated between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, with the two figures engaging in a public dispute over their respective records in public office.
The exchange, which has drawn attention, centres on accusations of failed leadership and a reliance on social media grandstanding.
The exchange was ignited after Mr Obi criticised the poor state of public schools and infrastructure in the FCT during a recent public engagement. In a sharp retort delivered at the commissioning of new roads in Mabushi District, Abuja, Mr Wike dismissed the former Anambra State governor as a “social media president,” accusing him of politicising essential services.
“I hear one of the social media presidential candidates went to a local authority school and said the government has abandoned public schools. His name is Mr. Peter Obi. It’s not everything you must play politics with,” the minister stated.
Wike proceeded to launch a sweeping critique of Obi’s eight-year tenure as governor, questioning his credibility to assess the performance of others. He alleged that Obi failed to complete major infrastructure projects in Anambra, instead prioritising financial prudence over tangible development.
“Peter Obi, you were governor for eight years. If you had finished all the jobs, nobody would be talking about developing Anambra by now,” Wike asserted. “Instead of developing Anambra, you put the money in the bank where you have an interest, looking for profit while the state suffered.”
The FCT Minister boldly contrasted their records, claiming his two years in office had yielded more visible results in the nation’s capital than Obi’s eight years in Anambra. He concluded his remarks with a personal jab, describing Obi as an unstable politician and a failed party leader. “You will continue to contest as President on social media, but not as President of Nigeria,” Wike said. “You ran for President under a party you could not even manage. You couldn’t hold your party together, yet you want to lead a country of over 200 million people. It’s not available for people like you.”
In response, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, Obi’s media aide and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, dismissed the minister’s comments as a ploy for relevance. He suggested that Wike’s frequent mentions of Obi were a strategic attempt to remain in the public eye.
“How will Wike sell his market if he doesn’t mention Peter Obi?” Tanko remarked. “Wike is the least of our worries now.”
Tanko defended his principal’s inspection of facilities in the FCT, insisting that Obi was merely highlighting the truth. “Obi has done nothing wrong. I was there on the ground and saw those dilapidated buildings,” he said. “We also visited a clinic where only one nurse was on duty… What Obi did was simply to point out public facilities in dire need of attention. Wike needs to face that reality and do his job.”
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