Wike Faults Obi Over National Anthem, Rallies Ogu-Bolo Stakeholders for Tinubu, APC Ahead of 2027 Polls

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized former presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that his alleged refusal to stand for Nigeria’s national anthem while standing for an alternative anthem reflects a disregard for national symbols and the rule of law.
​Wike spoke on Friday, November 13, 2026, during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State. Organized under the banner of the Rainbow Coalition, the gathering aimed to mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates across the state.
​Addressing traditional rulers, community leaders, youth groups, and party faithful, the FCT Minister argued that a leader who disrespects national symbols should not be entrusted with the presidency.
​“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.
​“In a way, he does not belong to this country. In a way, he has said he does not belong to this country; that if you give him the presidency, he would do a different thing that will divide Nigeria. 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.”
​Wike also criticized Obi’s political trajectory and governance record, alleging that the former Anambra State governor routinely abandons political parties during internal crises rather than resolving them, and faulted him for not conducting local government elections during his eight-year tenure as governor.
​Wike Targets Atiku, Amaechi Coalition
​The FCT Minister also directed criticism at the opposition coalition involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, questioning their records in public office.
​Wike cited the state of Nigeria’s seaports during Amaechi’s tenure as Minister of Transportation and alleged that Amaechi’s administration in Rivers State demolished Government Secondary School, Ogu, without rebuilding it, alongside unfulfilled promises regarding a 1,000-bed specialist hospital.
​Urging residents to ignore what he described as “big grammar” from opposition figures, Wike maintained that President Tinubu’s administration had delivered concrete dividends to Ogu-Bolo, pointing to the construction of the Ogu-Bolo Civic Centre—facilitated through federal appointee Boma Iyaye—and the conduct of local government elections. He urged the electorate to vote massively for Tinubu, Rivers State governorship hopeful Kingsley Chinda, and all APC National Assembly candidates.
​Community Leaders Endorse Tinubu, Chinda, Cite Federal Projects
​Traditional rulers, council officials, and community stakeholders at the meeting pledged total support for the Rainbow Coalition and APC candidates ahead of the January 16, 2027 polls, citing visible infrastructure projects and federal appointments facilitated for indigenes of the area:
​Council Support: Ogu-Bolo Local Government Chairman, Vincent Nemieboka, said the council’s core leadership—including Community Development Committee (CDC) executives, elders, women, and youth groups—was solidly behind Wike due to his developmental projects and political appointments for indigenes.
​Traditional Rulers: The Amanyanabo of Bolo, King Acheseinimie Frank, pointed to ongoing Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) interventions, including sandfilling, internal road construction, and the Kira–Ogu-Bolo road. Similarly, the Chairman of the Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Lawrence Abeabiari, disclosed that the community had named two infrastructure sites—Wike Road at Enelechi Phase 1 and the Wike Sandfield—in honor of the minister, assuring him that all coalition candidates would be delivered by noon on election day.
​Stakeholders’ Address: Speaking on behalf of Ogu-Bolo stakeholders, Prof. Lucky Worika thanked President Tinubu and Wike for facilitating key federal appointments for indigenes, including Alabo Boma Iyaye (Executive Director of Finance and Administration, NDDC), Dame Maureen Tamuno (Managing Director, Abuja Investment Company), and Senator George Sekibo (Chairman of the Governing Council, Federal Oil and Gas Polytechnic).
​Worika noted that Iyaye’s placement at the NDDC had unlocked 19 ongoing interventions across the local government area, including the reconstruction of Ogu General Hospital with a 70kVA solar power station, the Ele/Opu-ama and Kira/Bolo link roads, low-cost housing estates, teachers’ quarters, scholarships, and youth skill acquisition programmes. He also recalled Wike’s legacy projects as Rivers State Governor and Minister of State for Education—including the reconstruction of GSS Ogu, the Kira Bridge, and the elevation of the traditional stools of Ogu and Bolo.
​While affirming the community’s loyalty to Tinubu and Chinda in 2027, Worika appealed to Wike to continue using his national influence to address persistent riverine challenges in healthcare, potable water, electricity, maritime transport, and environmental sustainability.