By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has mocked former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi over over his bag carrying habit, describing it as a sign of stinginess while questioning his capacity to govern Nigeria.
Wike mentioned this on Saturday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he dismissed Obi’s pedigree of social media popularity as insufficient qualification for the presidency.
“Truly speaking, I gave him president of social media. 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 capital no!” Wike said.
“Wike mocked Obi’s reputation for frugality, arguing that a former governor should be able to afford a personal assistant to carry his bags.”
Mocking Obi's stingy public image, the minister said a former governor should be able to employ a personal assistant to carry his bags.
“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,” he said.
Wike also questioned Obi’s record as Anambra governor, urging Nigerians to assess his administration against the performance of incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
He criticised politicians who abandon political parties during internal crises, arguing that leadership requires the courage to confront challenges rather than flee from them.
“How will you solve the problem of the country? Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
Turning to Rivers State, Wike accused the previous administration of mismanaging public resources, citing the proposed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, monorail project, gas turbine transaction and a mosquito-fumigation proposal.
He alleged that $39 million, ( N53 billion), was spent on the proposed 1,000-bed specialist hospital, yet the project had not reached the foundation stage.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, 53 billion naira, gone! As I speak to you, there’s no foundation, no one block laid,” he stressed.
The minister also questioned the value of the Rivers monorail project, alleging that about N60 billion was spent on it while expressing doubts about its functionality and benefits to residents.
Wike also raised concerns over the sale of a gas turbine, claiming the transaction was valued at $308 million but alleging that only $308,000 remained in the relevant state account when he assumed office in May 2015.
He further recalled a proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State to control mosquitoes, questioning the rationale behind the exercise in a state sharing boundaries with several others.
Wike urged Nigerians to scrutinise the records of presidential aspirants rather than rely on campaign promises and online popularity.
He also criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket and questioned the reliability of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, citing his longstanding political relationship with him in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The FCT minister reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his intention to back the ruling party in the 2027 presidential election.
He explained that the Rainbow Coalition's political strategy in Rivers State, is an initiative that had brought together politicians from different parties to reduce political divisions and violence, even as members prepared to contest elections on different platforms.
“Under a Rainbow Coalition, that’s why in our state today, you see APC, PDP, all of us. No more Rivers of blood, no more shooting, not many people going to die,” he said.
Wike announced that the coalition would unveil its candidates on Tuesday, October 27, naming Kingsley Chinda as its preferred candidate for the Rivers governorship race.
He also disclosed candidates for other elective positions, indicating that some would contest under the APC despite the coalition's cross-party membership.
The minister urged Rivers residents to support candidates he described as experienced and committed to public service, promising that concerns raised by Bonny residents would receive attention.
He also celebrated the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road, describing it as a major infrastructure achievement that had improved access to the island community and reduced residents' dependence on boat transportation.
Wike said he had informed President Tinubu that completing the road was a significant achievement for Bonny, stressing the importance of infrastructure to the community's economic and social development.
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