Wike: Peter Obi’s 2023 Rivers Victory Is Imaginary Social Media Concoction, He’ll Lose SE, SS In 2027
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate, that their principal won Rivers State, describing the assertion as a product of “imagination.”
Wike spoke on Monday during an interview on TVC’s “Journalists’ Hangout,” where he was asked whether the support he enjoys in Rivers is organic, given the narrative by Obi’s supporters, popularly called Obidients, that their candidate won the state in the 2023 presidential election.
He also said his PDP five governors’ coalition, G5, decided to allow Obi Win SS to reduce Atiku’s votes and it would not happen in 2027.
“They won by their own imagination,” he said. “Who did INEC declare to have won?”
The former Rivers State governor also questioned the strength of the claim, noting that it fell short when tested at the election petition tribunal.
“When they went to the tribunal, were they able to defend their claim?” he asked.
The FCT minister said the Obidients’ claim of victory was a matter for social media and not the ballot. “You can win on social media; I’m not interested in social media winning,” he added.
He also argued that no one could declare a winner from a single vantage point in the state, saying, “You don’t stay in one place in Port Harcourt and say Obi has won.” Rivers, he noted, the state capital has 23 Local Government Areas.
Challenging Obi’s supporters to back their claim with evidence, Wike said: “Let them produce that result sheet that says Obi won.”
Wike: You journalists just sit down and talk.
The 6 South South States, who will win?
Rivers for example, who will win?
Amaechi was Minister, DG Campaign, DG this and that under Bujari, I collected everything, let alone now we have Rainbow Coalition.
Bayelsa, is there ADC there?
Babajide: No South South and South East is for Obi.
Wike: Nooooo, wait now. In 2023, there was bias because of Muslim-Muslim ticket. Even my children were against it, they were for Obi.
But now they call me and say Dad, is there any Peter Obi?
No more Muslim-Muslim talk again, Tinubu has been able to kill that.
In 2023, in the G5, we had our strategy. In the South South, PDP is very strong. Our problem was Atiku, so we must reduce his voters. In Edo and Cross River, give it to Labour Party. It was in Rivers I said no, we have a problem here, it will send a signal, you people may not understand, so we stopped it.
So we agreed, Atiku is our problem because the PDP is very strong in the South South. PDP winning will help Atiku but Labour Party winning will not take Obi anywhere, so we did that.
Let’s take it one after another, In 2027, In Cross River, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will Obi win?;In Delta, how will Obi win? When something happens, it’s like a tsunami has happened but that has passed.
You people carry propaganda, even in the South East, then, yes I agree but not now. People now know Obi does not have it and he won’t have it, it doesn’t matter how much you abuse me. The truth of the matter is this 2027, leave it for Tinubu, everybody go and prepare for 2031.
