By Ghazali Ibrahim
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said opposition parties often accuse the Federal Government of manipulating elections when they lose but celebrate their victories when they win.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while reacting to the outcome of the just-concluded Osun State governorship election, won by the opposition.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu’s administration deserved commendation for allowing democratic processes to take their course without interference.
“Whenever they lose, they claim the government manipulated the process; when they win, they show off their might. It does not work that way,” Wike said.
According to him, the 2023 presidential election was more difficult for Tinubu because of the uncertainty surrounding the conduct of the election at the time.
“2023 was a tough election for him. Nobody knew what the government at the time was trying to do, and even governors were afraid,” he said.
Wike, however, expressed confidence that the 2027 presidential election would be easier for Tinubu, describing the opposition as “crippled and depleted.”
He argued that defeating an incumbent government requires a strong and well-organised opposition that has spent years building its structure.
“To remove a government, you need a strong, vibrant opposition that has spent over four years planning, not one that is constantly looking for a party to join,” he said.
Wike also dismissed the possibility of the political dynamics that produced the G5 governors’ influence in the 2023 election being replicated in 2027.
He noted that governorship elections were influenced by local factors, while presidential elections involved a much broader national contest.
“Governorship elections rely on local variables, but a national election is a completely different ballgame. If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, forget it. It is over,” he said.
On concerns over economic hardship, Wike urged Nigerians to assess the government based on concrete actions taken to address challenges rather than sentiments.
“Leadership is defined by the steps you take to solve problems. When someone identifies a problem and takes concrete action to fix it, that is the effort people should appreciate,” he said.
