FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has rejected claims that he manipulated the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State and other parts of the South-South to help President Bola Tinubu defeat Labour Party candidate Peter Obi.
Wike spoke on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Abuja, saying the allegations were based on a false story spread mainly on social media.
The minister had earlier sparked controversy during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he said the G5 governors used a political strategy that helped Obi gain votes in some parts of the South-South.
Some opposition politicians and commentators interpreted the remarks as an admission that the election had been manipulated.
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Wike, however, said that was not what he meant. He explained that the G5 had adopted a strategy to reduce the influence of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, rather than rig the election.
Responding to claims that he personally changed election results to favour Tinubu, Wike questioned how one person could manipulate results from thousands of polling units.
“People who don’t understand, how can they say I rigged the election? How would I have done it? So, I just took the result sheets, wrote it, and gave it to INEC?” he asked.
Wike also dismissed the idea that social media trends could accurately determine the winner of a nationwide election.
“I’ve always said social media does not win elections. You have about 176,000 polling units, and probably you have seen 300 polling units and then you rush to the conclusion that so-and-so has won,” he said.
According to him, the opposition also failed to prove in court that the election results from Rivers State had been manipulated.
“We felt that Atiku was more of a factor in that election than Obi. So our strategy was that, make sure that you vote for Obi to win in order to deny Atiku the votes,” he said.
Wike maintained that the strategy was successful and said political discussions about the 2023 election should be based on actual results rather than social media claims.
Factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Bala Gombe, has reacted to the court judgement that sacked David Mark's faction of the party and nullified Atiku Abubakar's candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.
Gombe commended the Federal High Court and the trial judge for what he described as the independent, impartial and intellectually rigorous manner in which the matter was handled and determined.
He said his commendation, as a citizen and stakeholder in the nation's democracy, was that of someone who recognised that when a court speaks with clarity, courage and fidelity to the law, the public must also respond with gratitude.
"By every measure, this was a politically sensitive, highly charged and nationally watched dispute. It touched on party autonomy, internal democracy, constitutional supremacy within political associations, and the proper role of the Independent National Electoral Commission as regulator," Gombe said in a statement reacting to the judgement.
"It is precisely in such cases that judicial independence is most tested, and most needed.
"By subjecting the question of leadership emergence to constitutional and statutory scrutiny, rather than to political expediency, His Lordship affirmed a foundational principle of Nigerian jurisprudence as provided in Sections 1, 6, 228 and 223(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: political parties are not above their own constitutions, and the Electoral Act is not a mere suggestion.
"Where a party's constitution prescribes a procedure for succession and leadership must be obeyed. Where a political party fails to comply with the rules, procedures, and constitutional provisions laid down for its own governance, the court is duty-bound to intervene in order to safeguard democracy, uphold the rule of law, and prevent anarchy, as no man is above the law, and no man is below it.
"This commendation is not merely about one litigant succeeding and another losing. It is about what the judgement represents for Nigerians and for the African Democratic Congress:
"It restores public confidence that a judge can still decide on the law and the facts alone, uninfluenced by political pressure, media commentary, or the weight of personalities involved in the suit.
"It affirms that leadership must emerge through lawful process, not through imposition, and that aggrieved members have a legitimate right to seek redress in court rather than resort to self-help.
"It reassures ordinary Nigerians that the court remains the last hope of the common man, and indeed, of every man.
"As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, 'justice must not only be done, but must manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done.' His Lordship's conduct in this suit embodies that principle.
"I therefore respectfully commend His Lordship for upholding the independence of the judiciary and the sanctity of the judicial oath to do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will; demonstrating patience, erudition, and firmness in a matter of immense political sensitivity; and delivering a judgement that strengthens the rule of law, party discipline, and constitutional democracy in Nigeria.
"May His Lordship's example continue to inspire the Bench and the Bar, and may the Federal High Court continue to stand as a bastion of impartial justice.
"I also wish to place on record my profound commendation to our team of lawyers for their exceptional diligence, intellectual rigour, and unwavering commitment to the cause of justice. Their professionalism, perseverance, and fidelity to the rule of law were instrumental in ensuring that justice was not only sought, but seen to be done.
"I further extend my heartfelt gratitude to our teeming supporters across the length and breadth of this country for their steadfastness, loyalty, and fervent prayers throughout this process. Your faith and solidarity have been a source of immense strength and encouragement."