Wike explains how G-5 helped Obi beat Atiku in Edo and Cross River during 2023 election

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, shared how the G-5 governors worked against the presidential hopes of Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, in the South-South during the 2023 election.

Wike spoke on Monday during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout. He explained that the G-5 saw Atiku as a threat and decided to let Labour Party candidate Peter Obi win in some states.

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 added that the G-5 chose not to allow Obi to win Rivers State because of the possible political fallout.

“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,” Wike explained.

The G-5 included PDP governors who opposed Atiku’s candidacy in 2023. They believed the party’s presidential ticket should go to the South after eight years of a northern presidency under Muhammadu Buhari.

The group had Seyi Makinde from Oyo, Samuel Ortom from Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu from Abia, Nyesom Wike from Rivers, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from Enugu.

Wike noted that their strategy in Edo and Cross River aimed to prevent Atiku from taking advantage of the votes.

The minister said the G-5 thought that if the PDP lost in the South-South, it would hurt Atiku's chances. He believed that an Obi win would not really help the Labour Party candidate's chances overall.

“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.

Wike later questioned whether Obi could achieve the same success in the region in the 2027 presidential election.

He asked how Obi could win in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Delta states given the current political landscape.

“In Cross River now, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will he win? In Delta, how will he win?” Wike questioned.

Wike pointed out that the political environment that helped Obi in 2023 has changed, especially due to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket controversy.

He said, “Under 2023 there was this campaign of Christianity, there was this campaign of Muslim-Muslim ticket. There was, there was, seriously, seriously.”

Wike stated that the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket no longer holds the same weight.

He said, “It’s no longer there now. It’s no longer there. No more like Muslim-Muslim ticket. Well, it doesn’t work. Tinubu has been able to kill that.”

Wike also claimed that Obi’s support in the South-East during the 2023 election is not what it used to be.

“What people, what we know now, Obi does not have it, and he won’t have it,” he said.

He advised Obi to prepare for the 2031 election instead of focusing on 2027, saying, “For this election, leave it for Tinubu. Prepare for 2031. And that’s the truth of the matter.”