The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing him as a “social media presidential candidate” who engages in empty political showmanship.
Wike made the remarks on Thursday, October 16, 2025, during the commissioning of newly constructed roads in the Mabushi District of Abuja, in response to Obi’s recent criticism of the FCT Administration for allegedly neglecting public schools in the territory.
“There is one social media man who calls himself presidential candidate, he went to one school in FCT and said we did not provide toilets for them. Imagine! He plays politics with everything,” Wike said.
He accused Obi of failing to develop Anambra State during his tenure as governor between 2006 and 2014, alleging that he diverted state funds for personal gain.
“When he was governor for eight years, did he develop the entire Anambra? Instead, he carried the state’s money and put in his bank. His name is Peter Obi. And that is why his successors have been struggling,” Wike declared.
The minister further challenged Obi to compare his eight years as Anambra governor with the FCT Administration’s achievements in just two years.
“I challenge him to come out publicly and compare what he did for eight years in Anambra with what we have done in the FCT in just two years,” he said.
Wike also criticized Obi’s leadership style, questioning his capacity to manage a complex nation like Nigeria.
“You run as president under a party and you cannot manage the party, ordinary party. It is Nigeria of over 200 million people that you want to manage? You know a good dancer from the first step. Ordinary party of how many people? Crisis,” Wike said.
“You can’t hold them, but you want to manage a complex nation like Nigeria. It’s not available for people like you. You continue to contest as president in social media, but not as president of Nigeria,” he added.
The minister further mocked Obi’s public gestures, including celebrating birthdays at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
“You cannot be President of Nigeria only when you go to one IDP for a birthday party. Doing your birthday party in an IDP camp does not mean you love Nigeria. When you were governor, why didn’t you do your birthday party in an IDP camp?” he said.
Wike vowed to showcase the FCT Administration’s progress in improving public schools, insisting that governance should be about results, not propaganda.
Similarly, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant, Lere Olayinka, criticized Obi for his comments, saying he should “rescue himself from political oblivion instead of gallivanting for media attention” and turning himself into “a critic of everything, including the most ridiculous.”
