The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Friday, described the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a lawless person allegedly trying to divide Nigeria.

Mr Wike stated this at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, organised under the banner of the Rainbow Coalition to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and the candidates of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr Wike said, “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,” the minister said. 

The minister, while addressing traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and party faithful, said a leader who disregards national symbols, including the national anthem, cannot be trusted with the presidency.

“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.”

However, the NDC National Campaign Council said Mr Wike lacked the moral authority to teach political tolerance, unity or responsible leadership, recalling that he caused the leadership crises in the Peoples Democratic Party and in Rivers State, which led to the six-month suspension of the sitting governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The spokesperson for the council, Chiogo Ikokwu, who, in a statement on Friday, described Mr Wike as an arsonist in his backyard who preaches fire safety elsewhere, urged the minister to put his house in order before policing the conduct of others.

Mrs Ikokwu said, “I read from the media that Minister Nyesom Wike has accused the Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Mr. Peter Obi of causing division and lawlessness due to the rendition of the old national anthem by NDC supporters in Lagos yesterday during Mr. Obi’s town hall meeting.

“Minister Wike needs to look in the mirror. It is extraordinary that someone whose political conduct in and outside Rivers State has been widely associated with deep divisions, political upheaval and prolonged instability, can suddenly appoint himself the moral referee of Nigerian politics.

“His role in the political controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential election in Rivers, his open political manoeuvring across party lines – PDP/APC, and the confusion his actions have generated make his latest sermon particularly difficult to take seriously.

The NDC Campaign Council went on to explain that the rendition of the old anthem in Lagos was entirely impromptu and initiated by the people themselves, adding that it was not scripted, orchestrated or planned by anyone but was simply in the moment, as expressed by citizens.

She noted that, “If you watched another part of the video, they went on to sing the current national anthem. Minister Wike should stop distracting Nigerians from the gargantuan failures of the government he’s trying very hard to sell. We need to focus on the issues that matter to Nigerians in this election – the economy, and the crippling hardship inflicted by the APC government.”