The Obidient Movement has issued a strong warning to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other political actors against any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
The warning followed comments made by Wike during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he discussed the political strategy adopted by the G5 governors during the 2023 presidential election. Wike said the group deliberately prevented Peter Obi from winning Rivers State because such a victory would have sent a significant political signal.
According to reports of the interview, Wike said the G5 allowed Obi to make gains in some South-South states as part of their strategy against the presidential candidate of their former party, Atiku Abubakar, but treated Rivers differently.
“It was only Rivers. I said, no. We have a problem here in Rivers. Obi will not win here because if he wins, he sends a signal somewhere. People may not understand it. And I stopped where I would stop it,” Wike was quoted as saying.
Reacting to the remarks, the Obidient Movement, through its Media and Communications Directorate, issued a statement titled “Wike’s Open Confession to Election Manipulation and Rigging on TVC: Write Your Will Now If You Are Planning to Manipulate 2027 Results.”
The movement interpreted Wike’s comments as an admission of deliberate political interference in the 2023 electoral process and alleged that the actions of Wike and other political actors were designed to favour Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress.
The group warned that any attempt to manipulate the 2027 election would be resisted, insisting that the outcome of the election must reflect votes actually cast by Nigerians at polling units.
It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to focus on its constitutional responsibility of conducting credible elections, while urging security agencies to protect voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the electoral process.
The movement further appealed to young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be recruited by politicians to disrupt polling units or facilitate electoral violence.
The statement stressed that the 2027 election should be determined by voters rather than by political actors in private meetings, electoral officials outside transparent procedures or security agencies acting beyond their mandate.
The Obidient Movement’s warning comes as Wike has publicly declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid. Wike has also recently dismissed claims that Obi defeated Tinubu in Rivers State in 2023, saying such claims existed only on social media and in the imagination of Obi’s supporters.
The controversy has renewed debate over the conduct of the 2023 presidential election and the role played by political actors in determining voting patterns across states.
The Obidient Movement concluded its statement by demanding that the 2027 elections be free, fair, transparent and credible, with announced results reflecting votes cast by Nigerians.
