The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, saying the ex-governor would “continue to contest as President on social media, but never as President of Nigeria.”
Wike made the statement on Thursday during the inauguration of newly completed roads in the Mabushi District of Abuja. His comment came after Obi visited LEA Primary School, Kapwa, and condemned the poor condition of the learning environment, calling it “a national disgrace” that reflects Nigeria’s weak commitment to education.
During the visit, Obi lamented the lack of basic facilities such as chairs and toilets in the school, blaming the situation on bad leadership and misplaced priorities.
In his response, Wike accused the former Anambra governor of using emotional appearances to score political points rather than addressing real issues.
“I heard one of the social media presidential candidates went to a local authority school and claimed the government had abandoned public education. His name is Mr Peter Obi. It’s not everything you should turn into politics,” Wike said.
The minister went further to challenge Obi’s record in office, claiming that his own two years as FCT minister had produced more visible results than Obi’s eight years as governor.
“Peter Obi, you were governor for eight years in Anambra State. If you had completed all the projects, people wouldn’t still be talking about developing Anambra. We just came into office two years ago, and you can compare what we’ve done in the FCT with what you achieved in eight years,” Wike stated.
He also questioned Obi’s leadership ability, suggesting that someone who struggled to manage a political party could not handle the affairs of a nation as large as Nigeria.
“You will keep contesting as President on social media, but not as President of Nigeria. You couldn’t manage your party; how do you want to manage a country with over 200 million people? It’s not possible,” Wike added.
Wike’s remarks have stirred fresh reactions on social media, with supporters of both politicians defending their leaders’ records in office.