Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that all his children backed Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, during the 2023 general election.
Wike made the disclosure on Monday during an interview on TVC News, where he reflected on the political dynamics that shaped the 2023 presidential election and the factors he believes could influence the 2027 contest.
Wike explains why his children backed Obi
According to the former Rivers State governor, his children supported Obi largely because of the controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the build-up to the 2023 election.
The APC ticket featured Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim, as its presidential candidate and Kashim Shettima, also a Muslim, as his running mate.
Wike said the same-faith ticket generated concerns among some voters and became a major issue during the 2023 campaign.
“In 2023, there was a problem with the Muslim-Muslim ticket. There was this campaign about Christianity,” Wike said.
He added that his children were among those who supported Obi at the time.
“All my children supported Peter Obi. But now, they are saying that they never knew this man, Peter Obi, was like this,” he said.
Wike says political situation has changed
Wike argued that the political circumstances that existed during the 2023 election are no longer the same ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
He claimed that the controversy surrounding the APC’s same-faith ticket had lost much of its political impact under Tinubu’s administration.
“There are a lot of people who were carried away, but that is no longer there now. Tinubu has been able to kill the Muslim-Muslim ticket problem,” Wike said.
His comments come as political parties and emerging coalitions intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
Wike challenges Obi’s 2027 prospects
Wike also dismissed the possibility of Obi emerging victorious in the 2027 presidential election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the Labour Party platform, is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.
Recent reports have also quoted Wike as arguing that Obi no longer enjoys the same level of support he had in parts of the country during the previous election.
Wike’s latest remarks form part of his broader comments on the 2027 political contest, in which he has repeatedly argued that the political calculations of 2023 have changed.
The minister has also maintained that electoral victories should be determined by officially declared results rather than social media claims or crowd reactions.
2027 political battle takes shape
With the 2027 election approaching, Obi’s move to the NDC has placed him in a new political setting, while Wike has continued to publicly support President Bola Tinubu.
Obi has meanwhile been engaging supporters ahead of the election and has called for issue-based campaigns focused on the challenges facing Nigerians.
