Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has openly criticized leading opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, labeling them as “known liars.” Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Wike accused these figures of misleading Nigerians with their claims of offering a credible alternative to the nation’s existing political framework. His strong remarks were primarily directed at opposition political parties such as the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose recent primary elections, according to Wike, revealed profound internal contradictions and undercut their assertions of upholding democratic principles.

The minister argued that parties which have positioned themselves as harbingers of political reform and good governance have conspicuously failed to conduct their internal electoral processes without controversy. This failure, he contended, raises serious questions about their actual capacity to govern the country effectively. Wike highlighted that the disputes and irregularities observed during these opposition primaries mirrored many of the shortcomings that these same parties frequently attribute to the ruling party and other established political entities. He stated, “They said they are the saviours who will come. What has happened now? NDC said, ‘We are the new face of democracy.’ ADC said theirs is a party that has not been polluted, a party that God just brought from the womb. What has happened? Everything has become so dirty.”

Wike specifically pointed to the controversies surrounding the NDC’s presidential primary, asserting that the party, despite its relatively smaller scale, was incapable of conducting an internal election without protests and disagreements. He remarked, “See what has happened in the NDC. As small as they are, they cannot conduct a primary without protests.” Furthermore, he extended his critique to the ADC, which he noted had presented itself as a coalition aiming to rescue Nigeria’s democracy from alleged distortions by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “Look at the ADC that said it is a coalition to take over from the APC and stop the distortion of democracy. What has happened?” Wike queried, suggesting a clear failure to live up to their own standards.

The FCT Minister also emphasized that during the opposition congresses, several presidential aspirants publicly denounced the conduct of the exercises. This development, Wike stated, starkly exposed the hypocrisy of parties that routinely criticize others over electoral irregularities. He recounted, “While the congress was going on, two presidential aspirants said they could not believe what was happening and questioned why they were engaging in the same practices they had accused other parties of committing.”

Wike maintained that these recent events had unveiled what he described as attempts by opposition leaders to portray themselves as political messiahs. He challenged their narrative, stating, “Who is deceiving whom? Who is coming to Nigerians to tell them that they are the newborn baby and the messiah of our time? Nigerians now know that they are all liars. They cannot continue to deceive the people.” He also recalled how these opposition figures had previously lambasted both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC as failed political platforms incapable of strengthening democracy, yet their own internal processes demonstrated similar, if not worse, issues.

Reflecting on the current political environment, Wike concluded that these recent occurrences had reinforced his conviction that older and more established political parties are better equipped to navigate Nigeria’s intricate political landscape. He expressed his preference, stating, “My assessment is that, from what I have seen, I prefer the old parties that have been tested over time and understand the realities of Nigerian political culture.”