FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has berated former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, describing him as anti-democratic for saying democracy is not working.

Mr Wike said Mr Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, failed to conduct local government elections during his eight-year tenure as a governor but now aims to wrestle power from President Bola Tinubu. 

The minister, while speaking at the Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja, on Sunday, said those supporting Mr Obi, who has now joined a coalition to unseat Mr Tinubu in 2027, were doing so based on emotions. 

“Let’s tell ourselves the simple truth. Some of you have sympathy for who you don’t know out of emotion,” said Mr Wike.

“You say Peter Obi will be president; president where?” the minister asked. “For eight years, he was governor; he never conducted local government elections. Eight good years. That one was democracy?”

He said Mr Obi lacked the moral right to say Nigerian democracy is not working when he failed to conduct council elections and doubled as governor and local government chairmen.

“Now they will come out and begin to talk, democracy is not working. But it worked under you alone, being governor and chairman of local governments—only one man. The time has passed. They won’t have that opportunity again,” Mr Wike said.

Mr Wike’s latest attack is coming as opposition figures in the country rallied under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to battle Mr Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

He dismissed the coalition as an agenda by politicians.

However, Mr Obi explained that “As Anambra governor, I was prevented by arms of legal and litigation from conducting local government elections for over six years in the state.”