Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that Labour Party’s Peter Obi remains dominant in the South-South and South-East ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike, while responding to questions from journalists, challenged the suggestion that the South-South region would vote overwhelmingly for Obi, asking which of the six states in the region could realistically be won by the former Anambra State governor.
He cited Rivers State as an example, recalling his political influence in the state and his role in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during previous election cycles.
“Rivers, for example, who will win?” Wike asked, while also questioning the strength of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in states such as Bayelsa.
His comments followed an assertion by Babajide that the South-South and South-East were likely to support Obi.
Wike argued that the political dynamics that shaped the 2023 presidential election had changed, particularly the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“In 2023, there was bias because of Muslim-Muslim ticket,” Wike said, adding that even his children had supported Obi at the time.
According to him, however, the issue has lost political relevance, with voters now more focused on other considerations.
“No more Muslim-Muslim talk again. Tinubu has been able to kill that,” he said.
Wike also disclosed details of the strategy adopted by the G5 governors during the 2023 election, saying the group considered former Vice President Atiku Abubakar a major political challenge because of the PDP’s strength in the South-South.
He said the group sought to reduce Atiku’s votes in the region by allowing the Labour Party to make gains in Edo and Cross River states, while deliberately avoiding a similar strategy in Rivers State.
“In Rivers, I said no, we have a problem here. It will send a signal,” Wike said.
He argued that while a PDP victory in the South-South would strengthen Atiku, a Labour Party victory would not provide Obi with the same advantage across the region.
Looking ahead to 2027, Wike questioned Obi’s prospects in individual South-South states, including Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta.
“In 2027, in Cross River, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will Obi win? In Delta, how will Obi win?” he asked.
Wike said the political momentum witnessed around Obi and the Labour Party in 2023 should not be assumed to remain unchanged in 2027.
He also rejected what he described as continued propaganda surrounding Obi’s support base, particularly in the South-East, insisting that political circumstances had changed.
“The truth of the matter is this: 2027, leave it for Tinubu, everybody go and prepare for 2031,” Wike said.
