Wike: Obi Cannot Be Trusted with Presidency for Refusing to Stand for National Anthem

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has accused Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), of disrespect for national symbols and attempting to divide Nigeria by refusing to stand for the national anthem.

Wike spoke on Friday at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ogu-Bolo LGA of Rivers state, organised by the Rainbow Coalition to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.

Addressing traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and party supporters, Wike said a presidential candidate who disrespects national symbols cannot be trusted with the country’s leadership.

“A whole national anthem of a country is being sung. A man who wants to be president of Nigeria would disobey and sit down. And then not only that, when a different national anthem that is not being used for Nigeria [was sung], he stood up,” he said.

“In a way, he does not belong to this country. In a way, he has said he does not belong to this country; that if you give him the president, he would do a different thing that will divide Nigeria.

“A man who does not believe in Nigeria, someone who derives joy in ridiculing the country by disrespecting its symbolic national anthem must not be allowed to come near the presidency of our country.”

Wike also criticised Obi’s political history, alleging that the former Anambra governor frequently leaves political parties whenever they experience internal crises rather than staying to resolve them.

He faulted Obi for not conducting local government elections during his eight-year tenure as governor, describing the decision as inconsistent with his professed commitment to the rule of law.

The FCT minister also criticised the opposition coalition involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation.

He questioned their records in public office, citing the state of seaports during Amaechi’s tenure as transport minister, the demolition of Government Secondary School, Ogu, without reconstruction, and unfulfilled promises to build a 1,000-bed specialist hospital when he served as governor of Rivers state.

Wike urged Ogu-Bolo residents to disregard opposition politicians’ claims on television, insisting that Tinubu’s administration had delivered projects to the area.

He cited the construction of the Ogu-Bolo Civic Centre, facilitated by the federal appointment of Boma Iyaye, an indigene of the community, as well as the conduct of local government elections.

He also urged residents to support Tinubu’s re-election, Kingsley Chinda’s governorship ambition in Rivers and APC candidates contesting national assembly seats.

BACK STORY

Obi and supporters of the NDC recited Nigeria’s old national anthem during a town hall meeting in Lagos on Thursday.

In a viral video from the event, Obi, alongside Funso Doherty, the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos, and other supporters, remained seated when attendees were asked to stand for the new national anthem.

The event anchor subsequently switched to the old anthem, which the attendees recited.

Obi faced the crowd as they sang and raised two fingers on both hands to form the NDC logo.