The publisher of Ovation magazine and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, has alleged that Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), paid $30,000 per delegate during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2022 presidential primaries.
Momodu and Wike both contested in the 2022 PDP primaries, where former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was elected as the party’s flagbearer.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Momodu said a former Nigerian president had warned him not to contest the primaries, citing the amount of money that Wike was offering delegates.
“A former president of Nigeria sent someone to tell me not to waste my money on the PDP 2022 primaries because Wike had raised the stakes to $30k per delegate; $30k multiplied by 774 delegates,” he said.
“What I expected of him was that if you weren’t going to support a man, if you’re going to run, run a fair race, and let’s leave it there.”
Momodu described Wike’s transformation since becoming the FCT minister as troubling.
“When a man who had been a nobody gets power, he begins to change slowly and steadily,” he said.
He added that Wike, once respectful of Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, has changed drastically.
“The oppressed man respects only one man: the oppressor. Wike used to respect only one man—Rotimi Amaechi.”
The Ovation Magazine publisher also alleged that Wike has developed a heavy drinking habit.
“Wike is consumed by the power he holds. The spirit of power and money is demonic when not managed properly,” Momodu said.
“He drinks early in the morning. He introduced me to Akeshi, a strong alcohol, saying it helps him function. This is someone in public office.
“My appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that no matter what you are expecting to gain from Wike in 2027, Wike is not the kind of character you should promote; he is not the kind of young man who should hijack our common patrimony,” he added.
