Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), expressed his belief that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), would not emerge as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023. Wike attributed Obi’s popularity among the youth to his relative youthfulness compared to other prominent politicians in the race.
Wike, during an interview on Channels TV, acknowledged that although the youth were disenchanted with the country’s situation, they did not consider various factors in their decision-making process. He asserted that he is a realist and, in his view, Obi faced formidable challenges in the election.
The Minister credited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a tough election and highlighted that the votes did not favor Obi. He explained that while the youth may have preferred a younger candidate, they did not fully grasp the complexities of Nigerian politics, including ethnic and religious factors.
Wike noted that the reality of Nigerian politics encompasses more than just competence, emphasizing that ethnicity and religion play significant roles. He also commented on the recent judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, drawing attention to the inconsistency in public perception of judicial decisions, particularly citing Peter Obi’s previous victory at the Supreme Court when he was removed as governor.
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