Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed how he opposed Asue Ighodalo’s bid to succeed former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, despite describing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate as a good choice for the governorship.
Wike made the revelation while recounting his involvement in the political contest surrounding the September 2024 Edo State governorship election, which was won by Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the minister, Ighodalo visited him several times in an attempt to secure his support. Wike said he nevertheless refused to back the candidate because he viewed the election as an opportunity to prevent Obaseki from retaining political influence through a successor.
“I said I will not allow Obaseki to produce a successor, even though the candidate was a very good candidate — a very good candidate who was the chairman of a bank,” Wike said.
Political loyalty outweighed candidate assessment
Wike claimed that Ighodalo visited him more than three times but failed to change his position.
He said he considered supporting Ighodalo equivalent to helping Obaseki preserve his influence in Edo State after completing his tenure as governor.
“Returning you would be like bringing him back, so I am sorry, you have to fail,” Wike recalled telling the PDP candidate.
The account provides insight into the political calculations and rivalries that shaped the contest, in which relationships between influential party figures played a role in the broader struggle for control of the state.
Wike’s remarks also highlight the distinction between assessing a candidate’s personal qualifications and deciding whether to support that candidate based on political alliances.
Background to the Edo election
The September 2024 governorship election featured candidates from several political parties, with Okpebholo emerging victorious over Ighodalo and other contenders.
The result represented a setback for the PDP in a state where the party had been in power under Obaseki.
Wike’s latest comments offer his account of the considerations behind his opposition to Ighodalo, but they do not establish that his position alone determined the election outcome.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of continuing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with alliances, internal party disagreements and the influence of prominent political figures expected to remain important features of Nigeria’s political landscape.