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• Alleges $39m hospital project, N60bn monorail not delivered under previous Rivers administration
• Defends Tinubu’s subsidy removal, urges Rivers residents to back president’s 2027 re-election bid
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Bonny
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has mocked former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, describing he as ‘stingy’ for carrying his own bags, even as he questioned his leadership records and suitability for the presidency.
Wike, who criticised Obi’s political style and leadership, described the former governor as a “president of social media,” arguing that online popularity was not enough to qualify anyone to govern Nigeria.
The minister spoke during a town hall meeting with stakeholders of the Rainbow Coalition in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday. He also defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms and urged residents to support his re-election in 2027.
“Truly speaking, I gave him the president of social media. If you were to vote who will be president of social media, I will vote for him. But if it is to govern Nigeria, it is capital no!” Wike said.
Taking a swipe at Obi’s reputation for frugality, the former Rivers governor said: “As a former governor, you cannot be stingy not to have employed a personal assistant who will carry your bag. You want to show you carry your bag. We don’t want such a stingy person as a president.”
He also questioned Obi’s performance during his tenure as Anambra governor, suggesting that the performance of the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, should inform public assessment of his predecessor.
He challenged politicians seeking the presidency to demonstrate their capacity to manage crises, citing his own decision to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and fight internal battles rather than abandon the party.
“How will you solve the problem of the country? Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
The minister also questioned the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and expressed doubts about former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he said he had known from their time in the PDP.
His remarks came as he canvassed support for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his preference for the president ahead of the 2027 election.
Beyond his attacks on the opposition politicians, Wike levelled allegations against the previous Rivers State administration over the handling of public funds and the execution of major projects.
He alleged that $39 million was spent on a proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital without the project progressing to the foundation stage.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, N53 billion, gone! As I speak to you, there’s no foundation, no one block laid,” he said.
He also questioned the value delivered by the state’s monorail project, alleging that about N60 billion was spent on it.
On the sale of a power plant, the minister cited a transaction valued at $308 million, claiming that only $308,000 remained in the relevant state account when he assumed office in May 2015.
He further recalled a proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State to address mosquito bites, questioning the rationale for such expenditure in a state sharing boundaries with several others.
He also defended Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, describing it as a difficult but necessary step that previous administrations had failed to take.
He acknowledged that the policy had contributed to hardship through rising petrol prices and the cost of living but argued that it had increased the revenue available to state and local governments.
“Each time a president comes, fuel subsidies are a scam. What have you done with it? Another president will come, fuel subsidy is a scam. What have you done? Nobody has been able to take a courageous decision,” he said.
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According to him, Tinubu proceeded with the policy despite knowing that it would impose short-term hardship on Nigerians.
He claimed that states now receive at least N15 billion monthly in federal allocations, excluding other revenue inflows, although he did not provide a breakdown of the figures or establish that the amount applied uniformly to all states.
The minister argued that the additional resources available to subnational governments should translate into improved infrastructure, education and public services.
He also claimed that public universities had not embarked on strikes in the three years preceding his remarks, linking improved industrial relations to the country’s changing funding conditions.
He maintained that the impact of economic reforms should be assessed beyond their immediate consequences, insisting that leadership sometimes required decisions that are difficult but necessary for long-term development.
The minister identified the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road as a major achievement of the Tinubu administration, arguing that the project had ended years of dependence on boats and helicopters to access the island community.
He said the road had remained a political promise under successive administrations until its completion under the current Federal Government.
“The advantage is that we can now go by road to Bonny. Administrations have come and the road has become a political road. It is not today. So many governments have said, ‘We will try,’ but thank God, under the administration of the present president, the road has been completed,” he said.
He urged residents to judge political leaders by their records in office, including their management of public resources, delivery of infrastructure and willingness to take difficult decisions.
He also said the government should consult communities before determining development priorities, urging traditional rulers, youths and other stakeholders to communicate their needs to the relevant authorities.
Earlier, he visited the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, at his palace, where he explained that his engagement was intended to discuss national developments and encourage informed political choices ahead of the 2027 general election.
The monarch welcomed the minister and recalled his contributions to the kingdom, including his support for efforts to establish Bonny Polytechnic during his time as a minister and his involvement in matters concerning security and the Bonny-Bodo Road.
He described Bonny as strategically important to Nigeria and commended Wike for maintaining a longstanding relationship with the community.
Wike also explained the Rainbow Coalition’s political arrangement in Rivers State, saying it had brought together politicians from different parties to reduce divisions and political violence.
“Under a Rainbow Coalition, that’s why in our state today, you see APC, PDP, all of us. No more Rivers of blood, no more shooting,” he said.
He announced plans to unveil the coalition’s candidates tomorrow, October 27 and named Kingsley Chinda as its preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship race.
He also disclosed candidates for other elective positions, indicating that some would contest under the APC platform despite the coalition drawing membership from different political parties.
He urged Rivers residents to support candidates he described as experienced and committed to public service, while assuring the people of Bonny that issues raised during the engagement would receive attention.
The chairman of the Rainbow Coalition, George Tubara Tolofari, commended Wike for facilitating reconciliation among members following divisions within the group.
He said the meetings in Port Harcourt and Bonny had brought together members of formerly opposing political camps, including those associated with the defunct Simplified Movement.
The chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Abinye Blessing Pepple, also highlighted the government’s initiatives relating to infrastructure, empowerment and economic opportunities.
