The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said voters in Abuja rejected what he described as “groundnut politics” during the recent Area Council elections.
Wike made the remark while reacting to the outcome of the FCT polls, where the ruling All Progressives Congress won five of the six chairmanship seats.
In his statement, the minister took a swipe at former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.
“This election has exposed the hypocrisy of people who go about buying corn and groundnut from roadside sellers for the purpose of campaign just to deceive Nigerians,” Wike said.
Although he did not mention Obi directly in the quote, his comments were widely seen as a reference to the former Labour Party presidential candidate, who is known for interacting with roadside traders during campaigns.
Wike said the results of the election showed that residents of the FCT could not be misled by what he called “emergency democrats.”
“Yesterday, the residents of FCT demonstrated that they cannot be deceived by emergency democrats, who have chosen not to see anything good in our country and its government,” he said.
The FCT Area Council elections were conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission to elect chairmen and councillors across the six councils that make up Abuja.
The polls recorded low voter turnout, but the APC secured victory in five councils, while the opposition won one seat.
Wike, who was formerly governor of Rivers State, has been a strong voice in national politics. Since his appointment as FCT Minister under President Bola Tinubu, he has often defended the policies of the current administration.
His latest comments add to the ongoing debate between members of the ruling party and opposition figures over the direction of the country.
The exchange of words comes as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Peter Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election, remains a key opposition figure with a strong following among young voters. Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and ex-minister, is also considered an influential politician.
In recent years, Nigerian politics has seen strong public debates, especially on social media, where leaders often criticise one another openly.
While the FCT election was a local poll, it has taken on national importance because Abuja is the nation’s capital. Political leaders often see results in the FCT as a sign of public mood.
As the political exchanges continue, many Nigerians say they are more concerned about economic challenges, rising prices and job opportunities.