Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has mocked activist and politician Aisha Yesufu after her bid to secure the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial ticket for the FCT failed to materialise.
Wike spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt during the Renewed Hope Luncheon organised by the Rainbow Coalition, a political group comprising members of the APC, PDP and other parties.
Yesufu, a prominent ally of Peter Obi, declared her intention to contest for the FCT Senate seat on May 6 after joining the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). She said her decision was influenced by the political and leadership experience she had gained in the ADC.
However, her ambition suffered a setback amid reports that the party had opted for another aspirant, Amanda Pam, who had been a member of the NDC before Yesufu joined.
In a statement on Friday, Yesufu disclosed that the party would not conduct a primary election for the FCT Senate ticket. She later clarified that she had not withdrawn from the race but could not participate in a process she described as marked by "injustice" and a "breach of the Electoral Act".
Reacting to the development, Wike ridiculed Yesufu's inability to secure the ticket despite her outspoken criticism of political figures.
“You saw what happened in the NDC. There is one woman who said Wike is an appointee of the government and that she has no business with appointees,” he said.
“You speak grammar, speak grammar oh. Ordinary primary of NDC, not APC or PDP, just ordinary NDC, what happened? She didn’t make it.”
The FCT minister argued that political commentary does not always translate into electoral success.
“It’s easy for people to talk. When they enter into those media houses, they begin to churn out data from nowhere,” Wike said.
“Now, the time for data has come. What happened? Fa fa fa foul. It didn’t work. If e didn’t dey? E didn’t dey.”
He further criticised what he described as excessive public posturing by political commentators.
“You pontificate this and that. But when the time for pontification came, what happened? It didn’t work. And it will not work,” he said.
Wike also stressed the importance of political experience, urging Nigerians to support leaders who understand the country's political realities.
“Follow those who understand this country, who understand the politics and who mean well for the development of the country,” he added.
