Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how the G-5 governors deliberately worked to deny former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar votes in parts of the South-South during the 2023 presidential election.
Wike disclosed this on Monday, September 21, during an appear000ance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he said the group allowed Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, to win in Edo and Cross River states to prevent Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, from benefiting from the party’s strength in the region.
According to Wike, the G-5 governors considered the PDP’s strength in the South-South a potential advantage for Atiku and agreed to allow Obi to benefit from the votes instead.
He said, “How did he win? When the G-5, we sat, we had our strategy. We said in Edo, PDP is stronger in the South-South. Our problem will be Atiku. Therefore, instead of Atiku to take it, let it go to the Labour Party. That was our strategy. Cross River, the same thing. That’s what we did.”
Wike, however, said Rivers State was treated differently because the group believed an Obi victory there could have wider political implications.
“It was only Rivers that said, ‘No, we have a problem here in Rivers. Obi will not win here because if he wins, he sends a signal somewhere, people may not understand it.’ And we stopped…we stopped it,” he said.
The G-5 comprised Wike, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. The governors opposed Atiku’s 2023 presidential bid and called for the PDP presidential ticket to be ceded to the South after eight years of a northern presidency under Muhammadu Buhari.
Wike said the strategy was based on the group’s calculation that a PDP loss in the South-South would hurt Atiku, while an Obi victory would not significantly strengthen the Labour Party candidate’s chances nationally.
“But we agreed that, look, Atiku is a problem, PDP is strong in the South-South. So if PDP does not win in South-South, it’s a disadvantage to Atiku. Obi winning will not help Obi anywhere. We did that. We did that,” he said.
The FCT minister also questioned whether Obi could reproduce his 2023 performance in the region in the 2027 presidential election.
“In Cross River now, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will he win? In Delta, how will he win?” Wike asked.
He argued that some of the political circumstances surrounding the 2023 election had changed, including the controversy over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
Wike also claimed that Obi no longer enjoys the same level of support he had in the South-East during the 2023 election.
“What people, what we know now, Obi does not have it, and he won’t have it,” he said.
Wike subsequently advised Obi to shift his focus from the 2027 presidential election to 2031.
“For this election, leave it for Tinubu. Prepare for 2031. And that’s the truth of the matter,” he said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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