Obi, Atiku’s 2023 Rivers ‘victory’ exists only on social media — Wike
By Omeiza Ajayi
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the “Obidient” movement that they won the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State, declaring that any such victory existed only on social media and in their imagination, and maintaining that neither Obi nor the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar could defeat him in the state.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists Hangout programme, monitored in Abuja on Monday evening, Wike insisted that political victories are determined at the polling units and declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, not on social media or on the strength of selective polling unit results.
“They won in their imagination,” Wike said, responding to questions on whether his political support in Rivers State remains organic. “I have always told people: they won in their imagination. Nobody declared them to have won. I have been in this system; I am in this game. When Obi went to the Timber Market or somewhere in Rivers State and they were shouting ‘Obi! Obi!’, is that how you win an election?”
He faulted claims of victory based on isolated polling units, noting that Rivers State has over 7,000 polling units spread across 23 local government areas. “Out of over 7,000 polling units, until all results have come in, even if 200 polling units come out and say Obi or Atiku has won, it does not convince me. They went to the tribunal, were they able to tender or prove to the court that they won the election? You can win on social media, but I am not interested in social media winning. I am interested practically in the results on the ground, who won, and who was declared,” he said.
Addressing suggestions that political rivals in Rivers State were ganging up against him ahead of the 2027 general elections, the FCT minister expressed confidence in his political standing, describing the coming contest as one he expects to be his easiest yet.
“I started this game in 1999 as a local government chairman. In all my elections, it has never been easy. In 2015, they said it would be difficult; I won. In 2019, the federal might and soldiers were against me, yet I won,” Wike recalled, disclosing for the first time that his late brother, Herbert Wigwe, had advised him to flee ahead of the 2019 election because of federal pressure, a suggestion he rejected before going on to win.
Wike maintained that his political strength was rooted in his track record and direct connection with the people of Rivers State rather than in federal backing or political coalitions.
“Anybody telling you today that people are fighting me in Rivers and that it will be difficult, brother, I have never had an election that has been easy, but this one will be the easiest election as far as I know. The factors are clear. What are you going to tell Rivers people now? What will you present to them that will make them believe that following you will be more beneficial than what they have today?” he said.
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