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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Wike never hid his support for Tinubu, aide says

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Lere Olayinka said FCT Minister Nyesom Wike openly declared his support for President Bola Tinubu before the PDP selected its presidential candidate.
  • Olayinka argued that describing Wike’s position as treacherous was inaccurate because he had not concealed it from his party or potential opponents.
  • He questioned the electoral prospects of several opposition parties, citing their limited local political structures and the large number of presidential candidates.

Nyesom Wike’s aide says the minister never concealed his decision to support President Bola Tinubu in Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election. Lere Olayinka rejected the description of Wike as “treacherous,” arguing that the minister had announced his position openly.

The word ‘treacherous’, I don’t believe he should have used it because, to my own understanding, a treacherous person is somebody who is doing something against you behind you and presenting himself to be your friend.

· Lere OlayinkaWike’s aide explained why he rejected the characterization of the minister’s support for Tinubu.

Speaking on Arise TV, Olayinka said Wike had declared his support even before the Peoples Democratic Party presented its presidential candidate. He said the term did not fit someone who acted secretly against an ally while pretending to remain a friend.

“The word ‘treacherous’, I don’t believe he should have used it,” Olayinka said. “The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has never hidden his position.” He added that Wike had told Professor Sunday Oloruntuyi that the PDP’s condition would make it difficult for the party to have a major impact, even though Oloruntuyi was free to contest.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has never hidden his position.

· Lere OlayinkaHe said Wike had openly declared his support for Tinubu before the PDP selected its presidential candidate.

Olayinka also argued that not every presidential candidate enters an election expecting to win. Some, he said, contest mainly to “register their presence.” He pointed to the 19 presidential candidates expected in 2027 and questioned whether all of them genuinely believed they could win.

register their presence

· Lere OlayinkaHe argued that some presidential candidates contest elections without expecting to win.

He cited Omoyele Sowore’s 14,600 votes in the 2023 presidential election while questioning his prospects in 2027. Olayinka also challenged the organizational strength of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the African Democratic Congress, saying they lacked governorship candidates in some states where governorship elections would be held. He asked how parties could win without people on the ground to canvass votes and manage elections.

How do you win election when you don’t have people on ground to canvass vote for you, to manage election for you?

· Lere OlayinkaHe questioned the prospects of parties that lack candidates and local political structures in several states.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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