– We are going to ensure that we remove Tinubu’s government by all lawful means-Obi.
– You want to rescue your stomach; it’s not Nigerians you want to rescue- Wike.
July 07, (THEWILL) — The campaign for the presidency, ahead of the 2027 general election, assumed another dimension on Sunday when a presidential aspirant on the platform of the newly adopted African Democratic Congress, ADC, by opposition coalition leaders, Peter Obi and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, at separate fora exchanged views on the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
For the Labour Party, LP, leader who attended the coalition’s unveiling of the ADC on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 in Abuja, his aspiration to be the presidential candidate of the adopted party is to unseat President Tinubu by all lawful means, come 2027.
Speaking in a national television interview on Sunday, Obi, who has declared his intention to run for one term in office if nominated as presidential candidate of the ADC, said, “We’re going to ensure that we remove Tinubu’s government by all lawful means. I will govern within the law. I will bring civility to Nigeria and appoint competent people into office. I will not be Minister of Petroleum. The job of a leader is to change. You need everybody. If you want to serve, you must serve everybody.”
But Wike, who accused the leaders of the newly formed opposition coalition of selfish interest rather than a genuine desire to rescue Nigerians, said Obi was deceiving himself in his ambition to unseat President Tinubu.
The minister, who spoke at a thanksgiving service held to mark the completion of projects by the FCT Administration on Sunday, stated that Obi’s performance in office as governor of Anambra State was considerably poor to justify his quest to govern Nigeria.
“You say Peter Obi will be President. President where? For eight years, he was governor; he never conducted local government elections. That is what you describe as democracy. Only you were the governor and chairman of the local governments,” Wike said, adding that, “Some of you have sympathy for somebody you don’t know.”
Wike equally criticised other leaders of the ADC, arguing that they stayed in various political offices for more than four years on the average and yet have nothing to show as contribution to the welfare of the people.
“You want to rescue your stomach; it’s not Nigerians you want to rescue,” the minister said.
Wike appealed to his audience to support the Bola Tinubu Administration and reject those whom he considered as failed politicians desperate for power.
“I appeal to the church to just be patient and continue to pray for Mr President, for the administration. Forget about people who have lost their chances to put Nigeria right. They won’t have the chance again,” the minister said.
Defending his governorship in Anambra State, Obi declared, “I was a governor, and for my first four years, I drove 406. For the rest of it, I didn’t drive bulletproof cars. Nobody will try to kill you if you do the right thing. It is when you do the wrong thing that you fear death. I will not use ₦150bn to buy a jet when 80 percent of primary healthcare centres are not functioning. I don’t need one because I can go anywhere without a jet.”
According to Obi, the Tinubu administration is uncaring and lacking in vision to offer genuine leadership to Nigerians. He promised to offer a more competent leadership if elected.
“If your people are dying, you should be ready to die. The President should also be ready to die,” he said, while insisting that a single term of four years in office is sufficient to make a desirable impact on the life of the people.
“Nobody expects a 100 per cent result; we expect 100 per cent sacrifice and effort. I don’t need a day after four years. In two years, there has been maximum damage, which means two years can fix it,” Obi stated.
He disclosed that his decision to join the coalition does not mean he will quit the LP nor is it an act of disloyalty or anti-party activity. “What is constant is that we have agreed to work together,” he said.
On his association with some political figures regarded by critics as controversial or having too much baggage, Obi argued that inclusive leadership is essential to national progress.
He said, “For those who have been in government before, their experience is critical because they know what went wrong, what failed the system and what will sail the system.”
THEWILL reports that the opposition coalition leaders who adopted the ADC as the party to jointly field a candidate against President Tinubu in 2027 is coming on the heels of growing concerns over economic hardship and insecurity under the current administration.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
