2023: Wike explains why Obi did not win Rivers

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained the role he and other members of the G-5 governors played in the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State.

Wike said the group deliberately prevented Labour Party candidate Peter Obi from winning Rivers because of the political implications of such a result.

Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, Wike said the G-5 had developed a strategy to weaken the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the South-South.

He said the group decided to allow Obi to win in some states where the PDP was strong, including Edo and Cross River, because an Obi victory would not benefit Atiku.

“How did he win? When the G-5, we sat, we had our strategy. We said in Edo, PDP is stronger in the South-South. Our problem will be Atiku. Therefore, instead of Atiku to take it, let it go to the Labour Party. That was our strategy,” Wike said.

He said a different decision was taken in Rivers because of the potential political consequences of Obi winning the state.

“It was only Rivers that said, ‘No, we have a problem here in Rivers. Obi will not win here because if he wins, he sends a signal somewhere, people may not understand it.’ And we stopped… we stopped it,” he said.

The G-5 comprised Wike and the then governors of Oyo, Benue, Abia and Enugu states — Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The governors had opposed Atiku’s 2023 presidential bid and called for the PDP to zone its presidential ticket to the South after eight years of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Wike also questioned whether Obi could repeat his 2023 performance in parts of the South-South during the 2027 election.

He specifically asked how Obi would secure Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta states under the current political circumstances.

Wike further argued that some of the issues he said contributed to Obi’s support in 2023, including opposition to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, had changed.

He also claimed that Obi no longer enjoyed the same level of support in the South-East that he had in 2023.