‘Obi Disrespected Nigeria’s National Anthem, He Must Not Become President’ — Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, of disrespecting Nigeria and promoting division, following an incident in which the former Anambra State governor allegedly remained seated during the national anthem but stood for another anthem.

Wike made the remarks on Friday at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, organised under the Rainbow Coalition to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.

Addressing traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and party supporters, the minister described Obi’s alleged conduct as evidence that he did not respect the country’s national symbols.

“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,” Wike said.

He further alleged that Obi’s actions suggested that he did not identify with Nigeria and could take decisions capable of dividing the country if elected president.

“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,” he added.

Wike also criticised Obi’s political history, accusing him of abandoning political parties whenever internal disagreements arise rather than remaining to resolve them.

The FCT minister equally faulted Obi for failing to conduct local government elections during his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, describing it as inconsistent with his professed commitment to the rule of law.

He subsequently turned his attention to opposition figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Questioning their records in public office, Wike criticised Amaechi’s tenure as Minister of Transportation, citing what he described as the poor state of the nation’s seaports.

He also alleged that the previous administration demolished Government Secondary School (GSS), Ogu, without rebuilding it and failed to fulfil a promise to construct a 1,000-bed specialist hospital in the area.

Wike urged residents to disregard what he described as the “big grammar” of opposition politicians on television, insisting that the Tinubu administration had delivered tangible projects and appointments to Ogu-Bolo.

He cited the Ogu-Bolo Civic Centre, which he said was facilitated through the appointment of an indigene, Boma Iyaye, as part of the federal government’s contributions to the area.

The minister also highlighted the conduct of local government elections as an achievement and urged residents to vote for Tinubu, Kingsley Chinda as Rivers State governor and all APC candidates contesting National Assembly seats.

The council chairman, Vincent Nemieboka, said the meeting brought together traditional rulers, Community Development Committee executives, youth leaders, women’s groups, elders and other political stakeholders.

Nemieboka attributed the council’s support for Wike to projects and appointments secured for indigenes, assuring the minister of the community’s continued backing.

The Amanyanabo of Bolo, King Acheseinimie Frank, also commended projects executed through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), including sand-filling works, internal roads in Ogu-Bolo and the construction and maintenance of the Kira-Ogu-Bolo Road.

Frank said the area had benefited from three major political appointments facilitated through Wike’s office, pledging the community’s continued goodwill.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Lawrence Abeabiari, disclosed that two locations in the community had been named after the minister: Wike Road at Enelechi Phase 1 and the Wike Sandfield.

Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, Professor Lucky Worika said Wike’s tenure as Rivers State governor and his current position in Abuja had attracted significant federal presence to Ogu-Bolo.

He thanked Tinubu and Wike for facilitating appointments for indigenes, including Alabo Boma Iyaye as Executive Director of Finance and Administration at the NDDC, Dame Maureen Tamuno as Managing Director of the Abuja Investment Company, and Senator George Sekibo as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Oil and Gas Polytechnic.

Worika said Iyaye’s appointment at the NDDC had helped secure 19 major ongoing interventions across the local government area.

According to him, the projects include the reconstruction of Ogu General Hospital with a 70kVA solar power station, the Ele/Opu-ama Link Road, the Kira/Bolo Road, and internal roads and streetlights in Ogu and Bolo.

Other interventions, he said, include sand-filling projects, low-cost housing estates, teachers’ quarters in secondary schools across Ogu, Bolo and Wakama-Ama, scholarships, free medical missions and youth skills acquisition programmes.

Worika also listed projects attributed to Wike’s earlier public service roles, including the reconstruction of GSS Ogu, the Kira Bridge, Ogu/Eteo and Ogu/Wakama link roads, a landing jetty in Ele Community, and the elevation of the traditional stools of Ogu and Bolo to first- and second-class status.

He added that Wike’s intervention through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) facilitated the renovation of Community Primary School, Ikpo-Ama, and the provision of the facility housing Command Science Secondary School in Ogu.

Despite the listed interventions, Worika drew attention to persistent challenges facing riverine communities, particularly in healthcare access, potable water, electricity, maritime transportation and environmental sustainability.

He appealed to the minister to use his position and influence to attract further federal investment to the area.

The stakeholders also pledged their support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and Kingsley Chinda’s reported governorship ambition in Rivers State.

Abeabiari assured Wike that the community would deliver votes for the Rainbow Coalition and APC candidates, expressing confidence in their prospects ahead of the January 16, 2027 election.

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