Cynthia Ezegwu
The political tension between the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and the camp of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, intensified on Thursday as Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, lashed out at the former Anambra State governor, describing him as a politician without direction ahead of the 2027 elections.
Olayinka, who serves as the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the FCT minister, made the remarks while responding to Obi’s criticism of the poor state of public schools in Abuja.
In a statement, Olayinka said it was “amusing” that Obi, rather than focusing on rebuilding his political base, had “turned himself into a political wanderer.”
“It is funny that someone who should be bothered that he does not have a platform to contest the 2027 election has turned himself into a political wanderer,” he said.
Olayinka branded the former governor an “Internally Displaced Politician” (IDP), claiming Obi lacked a stable party structure and questioning his chances of securing another presidential ticket.
“Will any party still give him a presidential ticket simply because he repeats the one-shoe, one-wristwatch story?” he quipped.
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The FCT minister’s aide defended Wike’s administration, saying it was focused on “real and verifiable development,” citing the renovation of 73 public schools across the six Area Councils, with 21 already completed.
He contrasted the minister’s achievements with what he described as Obi’s “beer parlour style governance” in Anambra State, accusing the Labour Party leader of hoarding state funds while neglecting infrastructure during his eight years in office.
The remarks mark an escalation in the ongoing verbal exchanges between Obi and Wike’s camp, which began after the former governor criticised the poor condition of public facilities in the FCT.