Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said he was prepared to place a bet on President Bola Tinubu winning the 2027 presidential election, in spite of the groundswell of opposition to his re-election.
Wike made the assertion at a monthly media briefing, in response to a recent prediction by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, that Tinubu would suffer a major humiliation in the 2027 election by coming third in the first round of the poll, leading to a run-off without the president on the ballot.
Wike said the defeat the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered in 2023 would be child’s play compared to what it would face in 2027 if it nominated Peter Obi as its presidential candidate.
He also urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his speculated presidential ambition in 2027, by being content with his status as an elder statesman and international peacemaker.
Wike’s counsels followed speculations that PDP might be weighing the options of presenting Jonathan or Obi as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.
Meanwhile, Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, yesterday, berated Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, for giving unsolicited legal advice to PDP not to field the former president as its presidential candidate in 2027.
El-Rufai had in an interview on a national television Sunday night, said, “Tinubu will be third in the 2027 election. I have done my maths, and I can tell you Tinubu has no pathway to win.
“The worst-case scenario is that there will not be any winner in the first ballot.
“Ask yourself, is your life better now under President Tinubu? There is even no pretence of good intentions. We are free to assess our government after two weeks.”
However, Wike not only knocked El-Rufai’s prediction, but also boasted about his preparedness to place a bet that Tinubu will win the 2027 election squarely.
Wike said, “El-Rufai is my friend, but he failed in this mathematics. He goofed; since he knows Tinubu will come third, he should also provide who will be first and second. I will place a bet, if El-Rufai agrees, if Tinubu does not win the 2027 election securely.”
The FCT minister also warned PDP against fielding Obi. He said the setback that befell the party in 2023 would be child’s play, as it could altogether go into extinction if it nominated Obi.
Wike stated, “Bring Obi to where? You want to kill the party more? If not that some of you don’t have character, Obi that was abusing the party, that the party is rotten. So, is the party good now for him to come and run for the presidential election? You see, these people’s ambition can make them even go to Satan’s house.
“Anybody who says so, like Bala Mohammed, and I heard him say it, is entitled to his opinion. But if you want to destroy the party, dare it. Let Peter Obi come.
“There is nowhere he would not go because of ambition. Can’t we be principled because you are looking for president, no more ideology?”
“Wike urged Jonathan to abandon any speculated presidential ambition in 2027, saying, “I respect Jonathan very well, and he is somebody the international community respects and I think he will continue with that. These people who are calling Jonathan, what is their strength? Are they not the same people who played him game in 2015. These are people trying to play to the gallery.
“Bala Mohammed is entitled to say he is waiting for Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed, that is not the view of the stakeholders. You have heard of a governor who intends to run, and how would Bala is now saying that PDP is waiting for either Jonathan or Obi?
“For Christ’s sake, nobody should cause problem for the party. When you cause problem for the party you now say people are behind the problem, when you are the cause. How will anybody even contemplate Peter Obi?”
Wike added he had not seen any viable person PDP could field as presidential candidate in 2027.
He also pointedly declined the suggestion that he would run in 2027, saying he has integrity and character.
he stated, “There is no way. My appointer is there, and we are saying he should run. Then I will turn around to say I want to run. We are talking like people without integrity. What will my children ask me?”
Azibaola berated Keyamo and Odinkalu for advising PDP against nominating Jonathan in 2027.
Keyamo had advised PDP against fielding Jonathan as its candidate in 2027.
The minister wrote that the opposition risked serious consequences in the upcoming election if it relied on either Obi or Jonathan as its candidate.
He stated that nominating Jonathan carried a constitutional danger tied to Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which he suggested could bar anyone sworn in twice as president from contesting again.
But reacting yesterday, Azibaola said, “Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof.), I greet both of you. For the records: we three are lawyers. We all were pro-democracy activists in the 90s, and I was a better activist than both of you combined.
“RULE NO. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ (PDP) has numerous, more experienced SANs at his disposal that give him sound, unblemished, professional legal advice only.
“Please note: GEJ is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to. If he chooses not to yield to his overwhelming calls to run, it would not be because he is not qualified.
“Your skewed, unsolicited legal view is not of any concern in his bucket list, and it will never be. Don’t waste your precious time further dwelling on this.
“Or should I schedule a meeting with me so you can get properly educated on the subsisting court judgements on this, one of which your party, APC, was a party?
“(I beg una, make we no dey put too much water inside belle for another person disco dance, make long line no form for latrine door).
“This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though.”
Wike made the assertion at a monthly media briefing, in response to a recent prediction by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, that Tinubu would suffer a major humiliation in the 2027 election by coming third in the first round of the poll, leading to a run-off without the president on the ballot.
Wike said the defeat the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered in 2023 would be child’s play compared to what it would face in 2027 if it nominated Peter Obi as its presidential candidate.
He also urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his speculated presidential ambition in 2027, by being content with his status as an elder statesman and international peacemaker.
Wike’s counsels followed speculations that PDP might be weighing the options of presenting Jonathan or Obi as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.
Meanwhile, Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, yesterday, berated Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, for giving unsolicited legal advice to PDP not to field the former president as its presidential candidate in 2027.
El-Rufai had in an interview on a national television Sunday night, said, “Tinubu will be third in the 2027 election. I have done my maths, and I can tell you Tinubu has no pathway to win.
“The worst-case scenario is that there will not be any winner in the first ballot.
“Ask yourself, is your life better now under President Tinubu? There is even no pretence of good intentions. We are free to assess our government after two weeks.”
However, Wike not only knocked El-Rufai’s prediction, but also boasted about his preparedness to place a bet that Tinubu will win the 2027 election squarely.
Wike said, “El-Rufai is my friend, but he failed in this mathematics. He goofed; since he knows Tinubu will come third, he should also provide who will be first and second. I will place a bet, if El-Rufai agrees, if Tinubu does not win the 2027 election securely.”
The FCT minister also warned PDP against fielding Obi. He said the setback that befell the party in 2023 would be child’s play, as it could altogether go into extinction if it nominated Obi.
Wike stated, “Bring Obi to where? You want to kill the party more? If not that some of you don’t have character, Obi that was abusing the party, that the party is rotten. So, is the party good now for him to come and run for the presidential election? You see, these people’s ambition can make them even go to Satan’s house.
“Anybody who says so, like Bala Mohammed, and I heard him say it, is entitled to his opinion. But if you want to destroy the party, dare it. Let Peter Obi come.
“There is nowhere he would not go because of ambition. Can’t we be principled because you are looking for president, no more ideology?”
“Wike urged Jonathan to abandon any speculated presidential ambition in 2027, saying, “I respect Jonathan very well, and he is somebody the international community respects and I think he will continue with that. These people who are calling Jonathan, what is their strength? Are they not the same people who played him game in 2015. These are people trying to play to the gallery.
“Bala Mohammed is entitled to say he is waiting for Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed, that is not the view of the stakeholders. You have heard of a governor who intends to run, and how would Bala is now saying that PDP is waiting for either Jonathan or Obi?
“For Christ’s sake, nobody should cause problem for the party. When you cause problem for the party you now say people are behind the problem, when you are the cause. How will anybody even contemplate Peter Obi?”
Wike added he had not seen any viable person PDP could field as presidential candidate in 2027.
He also pointedly declined the suggestion that he would run in 2027, saying he has integrity and character.
he stated, “There is no way. My appointer is there, and we are saying he should run. Then I will turn around to say I want to run. We are talking like people without integrity. What will my children ask me?”
Azibaola berated Keyamo and Odinkalu for advising PDP against nominating Jonathan in 2027.
Keyamo had advised PDP against fielding Jonathan as its candidate in 2027.
The minister wrote that the opposition risked serious consequences in the upcoming election if it relied on either Obi or Jonathan as its candidate.
He stated that nominating Jonathan carried a constitutional danger tied to Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which he suggested could bar anyone sworn in twice as president from contesting again.
But reacting yesterday, Azibaola said, “Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof.), I greet both of you. For the records: we three are lawyers. We all were pro-democracy activists in the 90s, and I was a better activist than both of you combined.
“RULE NO. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ (PDP) has numerous, more experienced SANs at his disposal that give him sound, unblemished, professional legal advice only.
“Please note: GEJ is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to. If he chooses not to yield to his overwhelming calls to run, it would not be because he is not qualified.
“Your skewed, unsolicited legal view is not of any concern in his bucket list, and it will never be. Don’t waste your precious time further dwelling on this.
“Or should I schedule a meeting with me so you can get properly educated on the subsisting court judgements on this, one of which your party, APC, was a party?
“(I beg una, make we no dey put too much water inside belle for another person disco dance, make long line no form for latrine door).
“This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though.”