Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has admitted working against his own party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to help Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) win the 2024 Edo State governorship election.
Wike said he deliberately opposed the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, despite considering him a good candidate, because he was determined to prevent former Governor Godwin Obaseki from installing a successor.
The former Rivers State governor made the revelation on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Abuja, where he credited the political alliance with playing a significant role in the APC’s victory.
Wike disclosed that his opposition to Ighodalo was driven by his determination to stop Obaseki from retaining political influence through his successor.
“I said I would not allow Obaseki to produce a successor, even though the candidate was a very good candidate, a very good candidate who was the chairman of a bank,” Wike said.
He revealed that Ighodalo had visited him several times in an attempt to secure his support, but he remained unmoved.
“He came to see me more than three times, but I told him, ‘Listen, I know you are a good candidate, but for this election, I am sorry because this election is between us and the man who is bringing you, called Obaseki.
“Returning you would be like bringing him back, so I am sorry, you have to fail.’ And he failed,” the minister stated.
Wike’s remarks amount to an admission that personal and political differences with Obaseki influenced his position during the Edo governorship election, despite Ighodalo’s credentials as the PDP candidate.
The minister also used the occasion to highlight the role of the Rainbow Coalition, arguing that politicians from different parties could unite around a common political objective.
Okpebholo won the September 21, 2024, governorship election, defeating Ighodalo and other contenders to emerge as Edo State governor on the APC platform.
