Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday came down hard on the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, questioning his leadership credentials and his capacity to govern Nigeria.
Wike, who spoke at the commissioning of two newly constructed roads – ILS11 (Esther Bali Street) and MAR24 (Kez Udezue Street) – in the Mabushi area of Abuja, ridiculed Obi’s constant criticisms of government, saying he lacked the credibility to lecture anyone on governance, having, according to him, failed as Anambra governor.
He said Obi will continue to contest as president on social media but not as president of Nigeria.
“You run as president under a party, and you cannot manage the party, ordinary party. You cannot manage to hold a party together; it is Nigeria of over 200 million people that you want to manage? Ordinary party of how many people? Crisis. You can’t hold them, but you want to manage a complex nation like Nigeria. It is not available for people like you. You can know a good dancer from the first step,” Wike declared.
The former Rivers governor accused Obi of hypocrisy, noting that while he flaunts public shows of compassion, his record in Anambra State tells a different story.
“Mr Peter Obi, we just came into office two years ago. We have not even stayed four years, but you stayed eight good years. Compare two years in office of what you have done in FCT and compare eight years in office in Anambra. Can you really say you love this country? Can you really say you love Anambra? Certainly not. If I were you, I would be quiet. Why not be quiet? Enough is enough.
“You cannot be President of Nigeria only when you go to one IDP camp for a birthday party. ‘I went to do my birthday party in an IDP camp…’ Who is interested in all those things? Doing your birthday party in an IDP camp does not make it feel that you love Nigeria or want to do anything for Nigeria. When you were a governor, why didn’t you do your birthday party in an IDP camp? It is now you want to be president. Every day, I am going to do my birthday with the less privileged. Who will you deceive? Enough is enough,” he said.
Wike went further to allege that Obi prioritised personal profit over development during his eight years in office.
He said, “Some people, because of politics, castigate government. For example, I hear one of the social media presidential candidates went to one of the local authority area schools and was saying that the government has abandoned public schools. In particular, his name is Mr Peter Obi.
“It is not everything you must play politics with. Peter Obi, you were governor for eight years in Anambra State. If you had finished all the jobs, nobody would be talking about developing Anambra by now. Instead of developing Anambra, you took the money and put it in the bank where you have interest. The money was there to develop Anambra State, but you only preferred profit, and Anambra was suffering.
“Again, we will show you in the next few weeks what we have been able to do in our public schools in just two years, while you (Obi) are talking about eight years. Everything must not be propaganda. As the Minister of FCT, I cannot claim I know everywhere in Abuja. It is not possible. So, if you are a responsible citizen, it is not just to go to social media to think that they will love you.
“You will continue to contest as president on social media, but not as president of Nigeria,” Wike declared.
Turning from politics to governance, Wike stressed the importance of good citizenship and responsiveness, narrating how a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Damian Dodo, drew his attention to the poor state of Kez Udezue Street, which led to swift intervention.
“Who is called a good citizen? Not a good man but a good citizen? Good citizens are those who will think well about the welfare of the country and call the attention of the government.
“I was in my office when one of my friends called my attention. He said, Minister, I was driving on one of these roads. I don’t think you are aware. It is terribly bad. I said, Which road is that? He said, Kez Udezue. I said, ‘Okay, thank you,’ then I called the Acting Executive Secretary of FCDA to ask, ‘Where is this Kez Udezue?’ Go and check and see the situation of the road or the roads there. He came back to me and said, Sir, the road is bad. I said, Okay, look for any contractor that has the capacity to move in and see that we solve that problem.
“In the next week, my friend called me. He said, Thank you. That is what they call a responsive government. Thank you for calling me, and you immediately responded. He does not have an office there, and he does not live there, but because he had to use this road, he called my attention. He is here, Damian Dodo, SAN. That is what good citizens, responsible citizens, should do. Not by going to social media and beginning to castigate the government just for political purposes.
“Damian Dodo, I want to say, on behalf of the FCT Administration, we thank you. On behalf of Mr President, we thank you for calling our attention. Ordinarily, I would have changed the name of this street to your name, but I don’t know who Kez Udezue is, and before they will bring ethnicity now. But let me assure you, FCT will also honour you for being a good citizen. I am very happy for that. Thank you very much,” he said.
FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, in her remarks hailed President Bola Tinubu for his steady leadership and described Wike as the driver of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the capital city.
“These roads belong to you; may they serve your daily lives with ease and safety,” she told residents.
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