The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of lacking the leadership capacity to manage internal party crises.
Wike made the remarks on Sunday while addressing delegates at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2026 National Convention held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
In his speech, the FCT Minister questioned Obi’s decision to leave the Labour Party amid its internal challenges, drawing parallels with some PDP governors who recently defected.
“Leadership is not an easy task. Leadership requires courage. Leadership requires firmness. Leadership requires commitment,” Wike said.
He continued, “What you see that has happened, the faction of some governors who have left have only shown you they lack the leadership traits. I liken them to the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
“The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, once aspired to be president and was given a platform through the Labour Party. When crisis came in the party, it was time for him to show leadership. He ran away because he could not solve problems.
“The same thing applies to some of our governors. When they needed a platform to become governors, they found one. But when crisis came, instead of showing leadership, vision, and courage, they ran away. This shows those who can truly stand firm in times of crisis.”
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party and finished third behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025.
His move followed the emergence of a coalition platform aimed at challenging Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The alliance includes prominent political figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi, among others.
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