‘He fled at the first sign of trouble’ — Wike ridicules Obi over Labour Party abandonment

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has ridiculed Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, stating that he does not possess the necessary courage to tackle internal party conflicts, as evidenced by his departure from the Labour Party.

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Wike's remarks were made on Sunday at the Peoples Democratic Party 2026 National Convention, which took place at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, where he drew parallels between Obi's exit and the recent defection of PDP governors to the All Progressives Congress.

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He emphasized that leadership demands courage, firmness, and commitment, qualities that he believes Obi and the defecting governors lack, as demonstrated by their inability to navigate challenges within their respective parties.

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Wike specifically criticized Obi for abandoning the Labour Party at the first sign of adversity, despite the party having provided him with a platform to pursue his presidential ambitions.

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According to Wike, when faced with crises, Obi chose to flee rather than exhibit leadership, a trait that he also attributed to the PDP governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress.

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Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election behind President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, defected to the African Democratic Congress in 2025 and has since become a key figure in a growing opposition coalition.

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This coalition, which is positioning to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, also includes Atiku, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, all of whom are united on the ADC platform.