The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has mocked former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing him as a potential “President of social media” rather than a suitable leader for Nigeria.
Wike said Nigerians who wanted a president popular on social media could vote for Obi, but insisted that governing the country required more than online popularity and public displays of humility.
The minister made the remarks on Thursday during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he defended President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and declared support for his re-election in 2027.
Taking a swipe at Obi, Wike said the country needed a leader with the courage, capacity and political experience to make difficult decisions.
“If it is to vote for who will be the president of social media, vote for Obi. But when you are talking about the President of Nigeria, no. This country requires leadership,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor’s remarks came as political activities gathered momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Obi remaining a prominent figure among opposition supporters seeking to challenge Tinubu.
Wike dismissed the argument that social media popularity and public perception of humility were enough to qualify anyone for the presidency, insisting that leadership should be judged by the ability to take tough decisions.
He particularly praised Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, describing it as an act of courage that previous administrations had avoided because of its political implications.
Although he admitted that the policy had brought hardship to Nigerians, Wike maintained that the economic sacrifices would eventually yield positive results.
Citing former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, he said the President had taken decisions that a conventional politician seeking re-election might have been unwilling to make.
Wike also expressed confidence that Tinubu would win Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election, urging residents to support the President’s second-term ambition.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, he appealed to the people to support Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, and other party candidates.
He warned residents against backing a son of the area seeking the governorship on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, arguing that the party lacked the political strength to win the election.
Wike insisted that political support should be guided by electoral realities rather than sentiments, adding that the area already had political representation within the APC.
He also dismissed the possibility of the opposition presenting a formidable challenge to Tinubu, citing the lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party and difficulties confronting efforts to build a strong opposition coalition.
“Talking about the crisis in the PDP, I have said it will be difficult for us to present a credible presidential candidate that can challenge this election. Therefore, there is no need to bother ourselves. Let us continue to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
The minister further claimed that Rivers State had secured no fewer than 47 federal appointments under Tinubu, describing the figure as unprecedented compared with previous administrations.
He also listed the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road among the major benefits the state had received from the Tinubu administration.
Meanwhile, Wike also renewed his confrontation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities over the disputed reallocation of portions of the University of Abuja’s land.
He challenged ASUU to explain its opposition to the FCTA’s decision, insisting that the union had no authority over land administration in the Federal Capital Territory.
Questioning the university’s claim to approximately 11,824 hectares, Wike argued that government should not allow such a vast expanse of land to remain undeveloped.
ASUU had threatened industrial action and legal action if the FCTA failed to reverse the disputed allocations in the Giri District, insisting that the land was needed for the university’s expansion, research and infrastructure development.
However, Wike maintained that the FCTA would not reverse its position, arguing that land administration and enforcement of the Abuja master plan fell within its statutory responsibilities.
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