Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has taunted Aisha Yesufu over her inability to clinch the senate ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the nation’s capital.
Wike spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, during the Renewed Hope Luncheon held by the Rainbow Coalition, a body of political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Yesufu declared interest in the FCT senate race on May 6 after joining the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The Peter Obi ally said her decision was informed by the leadership experience she had garnered in the ADC.
However, in recent days, there were speculations that the party had ceded the FCT senate ticket to Amanda Pam, another aspirant who had been in the party before Yesufu joined.
In a statement on Friday, Yesufu said the party would not be conducting primaries for the FCT senate seat, effectively ending her ambition for the position.
However, in another statement on Friday night, Yesufu said she did not withdraw from the race but could not “compromise” her values in a process marred by “injustice” and a “breach of the Electoral Act”.
The FCT minister mocked Yesufu’s inability to secure the ticket despite her “grammar” on social media.
“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,” Wike 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 minister argued that critics who often make loud claims in the media struggle when confronted with the realities of electoral politics.
“It’s easy for people to talk. When they enter into those media houses, they begin to churn out data from nowhere,” he 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.
“You pontificate this and that. But when the time for pontification came, what happened? It didn’t work. And it will not work.”
Emphasising the role of experience in the country’s politics, Wike urged Nigerians to align with those who understand the nation’s political landscape and are committed to its development.
“Follow those who understand this country, who understand the politics and who mean well for the development of the country,” he said.
