Wike says Obi’s 2027 prospects are weak, rules out run-off
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has dismissed the prospect of Peter Obi mounting a strong challenge in the 2027 presidential election, saying the wave of support that lifted the former Labour Party candidate in 2023 has faded.
Speaking during a media chat on Thursday, Wike also rejected the suggestion that opposition parties could force a run-off against President Bola Tinubu. “Run where? Run-off between who and who?” he asked.
Wike described Obi as a “dramatist” and said Nigerians would not back him in the same way they did during the last election. He questioned whether supporters were still contributing money to Obi’s political efforts, arguing that the enthusiasm of 2023 had diminished.
The minister also pointed to the victory of Senator Ireti Kingibe in the Federal Capital Territory, saying it reflected the strength of the Labour Party wave at the time rather than a lasting political structure. He challenged Kingibe to repeat that success under current conditions.
Wike acknowledged that former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso had substantial support in Kano, but questioned how much influence he held elsewhere in the North. He also cited Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa while disputing claims that the region would deliver a decisive advantage to opposition candidates.
He further criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for not campaigning in Rivers State during the 2023 election, saying Atiku could not expect support from the state without accounting for his past political choices.
Obi, who placed third in 2023, has since left the Labour Party and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the next election. His campaign previously drew strong support from young voters and became closely associated with the Obidient movement.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor and member of the Peoples Democratic Party, backed Tinubu in 2023 and was later appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
