Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says he never declared that he would accept to be a vice-presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

Obi spoke in an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday.

The former governor of Anambra was quoted by some reports as saying he would consider a vice-presidential role if he found a candidate who could perform better than him.

Reacting to the claim in a post on his X page on Saturday, Obi alleged that “some fifth columnists resorted to propaganda, deliberately distorting the narrative.”

The former Anambra governor said he was surprised by the misrepresentation of his statement, adding that he is not desperate to be president, but determined to make Nigeria work.

“I have been inundated with calls and concerns regarding the interview I granted to News Central TV,” Obi said.

“In that interview, I took the opportunity it provided to explain my position in detail.

“However, some fifth columnists have resorted to propaganda, deliberately distorting the narrative.

“Let me reiterate clearly what I said, which is on record: I do not want to be one of those preoccupied with 2027 while Nigerians are suffering from hunger, poverty, insecurity, and other pressing challenges.

“When I was asked about collaboration, I explicitly stated my openness to working with others, provided their intentions were not centred on state capture.

“I emphasized my commitment to partnering with those who share my vision for advancing Nigeria’s progress.

“I also made it clear that I remain committed to the Labour Party, and if anyone wishes to negotiate or join forces, they must disclose their true intentions. As I have always maintained, I am not desperate to become president, but I am determined to see Nigeria work.

“Likewise, I am not desperate for any position at all as I believe I can make contributions as I am already doing without occupying any. When 2027 arrives, if I decide to run for any office, it will not be with those whose sole aim is state capture or merely winning an election.

“I want them to explain how we will ensure that no child is left behind and how we will bring millions of out-of-school children back into classrooms, ensure healthy living and pull people out of poverty.

“My statement was unequivocal, and I am genuinely surprised by the misrepresentation of my words.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says no member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can describe him as an ”outsider” or a “mole” over alleged anti-party activities.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, Wike said members of the PDP wrote to President Bola Tinubu to nominate people for appointment.

The FCT minister challenged PDP leaders, governors, and members to publicly defend on live national television their claims of his opposition to the party’s interests.

“There is nobody, no governor today in PDP, not anybody born of a woman can say I am an outsider. I dare anybody in the PDP to come out on national television. I dare any governor, I dare any national working committee member to come out on national television to say I am a mole,” he said.

“Before I took this appointment, I wrote to PDP. I wrote to PDP national; I wrote to PDP zonal; I wrote to PDP in my state. My governor also signed a letter that I should take the appointment. Yes, it’s true. The zonal party wrote that I should accept.

“Who in the PDP did not write or nominate names by President Tinubu for appointment?

“They did. Yes! Let them come to say they did not do it. You see the problem we have in this country is that some people think they are too smart, they want to use people. I’m not that kind of person. What I want to do, I will do. What I will not do, everybody knows I won’t do it.”

Wike said despite his support for Tinubu in the 2023 elections, the PDP won governorship and national assembly elections in Rivers.

The minister said he supported Tinubu on the basis of justice and fairness, adding that he is still a leader of the party in the state.

“In 2023, did I not say I won’t support you for president? Did I do it at the back? Did I not say I won’t support this? It’s not fair, it’s against equity, it’s against justice.

“Did I do it at the back? Did the PDP not win the governorship? Did the PDP not win the national assembly? Did they not win the state assembly?

“I challenge any of them, let us see in any of these states they are criticising whether they have a 100 percent as we have. What does that tell you? Leadership.”

In August 2023, Tinubu appointed Wike as the minister of FCT.

On June 5, 2024, the president said Wike was one of the best appointments he made since the start of his administration.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, brought Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to him to seek support for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Ighodalo is the preferred candidate of Obaseki in the September 21 governorship election.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, Wike expressed surprise that the leadership of the PDP was complaining about Anugbum Onuoha being the Edo resident electoral commissioner (REC) some days before the election.

On Thursday, Tony Aziegbemi, Edo PDP chairman, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeploy Onuoha over ties with Wike.

Aziegbemi expressed a lack of confidence in the REC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election in the state.

The INEC REC had previously served as a special adviser on lands to Wike when he was the governor of Rivers.

He was briefly suspended from the state’s cabinet in 2016 before being reinstated.

‘I TOLD OBASEKI THAT I CAN’T SUPPORT IGHODALO’

The FCT minister said he told the Edo governor when he came with the PDP candidate that he would not support Ighodalo.

Wike said Onuoha is his first cousin and has been the REC in Edo state for over a year.

“When his governor, Obaseki, came to meet me when I was staying in West County to support Ighodalo, he (referring to Aziegbemi) was not there. They did not know that the REC is my cousin,” he added.

“When Obaseki brought Ighodalo to my house two times to support him, they did not know the REC is my cousin. It is just today that they know that he (Onuoha) is my cousin.

“He was posted to Edo more than one year ago. That is the problem I have with this country.

“I told them (Obaseki and Ighodalo) when they came to see me that I’m not going to support Ighodalo. Neither am I going to support anybody. The one I supported you never helped anything but rather I was insulted.”

“For accusing my first cousin, they have made a mistake. You know why? I was thinking I am strong; you are meeting a rock (Onuoha).