Wike Says His Children Backed Obi in 2023, Credits Tinubu for Defusing Same-Faith Ticket Issue

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has disclosed that during the 2023 presidential election, his children were among those who supported Peter Obi, then the Labour Party's presidential candidate. Wike made the statement on Monday during an interview on TVC News. The former Rivers State governor tied their backing for Obi to the dispute over the All Progressives Congress' Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in that election. He said circumstances have since changed, arguing that President Bola Tinubu's administration has dealt with the concerns raised by the same-faith ticket. Wike recalled that in 2023 there was an issue with the Muslim-Muslim ticket and a campaign focused on Christianity. He said all his children supported Obi at the time, but added that some now say they did not know Obi was like that. He noted that many people were carried away then, but that this feeling is no longer present. According to Wike, Tinubu has been able to eliminate the problem of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Wike further maintained that Obi, who is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, cannot win the 2027 presidential election.