Wike Rejects Election Rigging Allegations, Says G5 Strategy Outsmarted Atiku

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has rejected allegations that he rigged the 2023 presidential election in the South-South to favour President Bola Tinubu, describing the claim as a narrative driven largely by social media.

Wike made the clarification in Abuja on Wednesday while responding to criticism that followed his recent disclosure about the strategy adopted by the five-member G5 group of Peoples Democratic Party governors during the election.

The former Rivers State governor had revealed that the G5 deliberately allowed Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to win in some South-South states because it considered PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar a greater political threat in the region.

According to Wike, the strategy was intended to prevent Atiku from benefiting from the PDP’s traditional strength in the South-South.

He said the group decided in states such as Edo and Cross River that allowing Obi to win would deny Atiku the votes he would otherwise have received as the PDP candidate.

Wike said Rivers State was treated differently because of its particular political implications, adding that the group did not want Obi to win the state.

The comments triggered allegations that the strategy amounted to electoral manipulation or an admission of rigging.

However, Wike denied personally altering election results or manipulating result sheets in favour of Tinubu.

He questioned how an individual could determine results across thousands of polling units, noting that Nigeria had about 176,000 polling units during the 2023 election.

Wike also argued that allegations of rigging should be supported by evidence from the electoral process and subsequent legal proceedings.

He maintained that the G5’s actions constituted political strategy rather than electoral rigging, stressing that the group’s primary objective was to prevent Atiku from benefiting from the PDP’s strength in the region.

The G5 comprised Wike and former governors Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The group opposed Atiku’s presidential candidacy and withheld support from his campaign during the 2023 election.

Wike said the strategy achieved its intended political objective, adding that political analysts should examine verified election results and electoral procedures rather than rely solely on social media commentary.