ABUJA — Publisher and PDP chieftain, Dele Momodu, has raised alarm over what he called the rising influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming Nigeria is now being run as if it has “two presidents.”
Speaking on The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Momodu said Wike’s dominance in the Tinubu-led government echoes his past tactics in Rivers State, asserting that such influence is only possible with the full support of the country’s highest political offices.
“In fact, right now, it’s looking like we have two presidents in Nigeria. Wike can do anything,” Momodu said. “Even President Tinubu, who has held Lagos since 1999, has not been as audacious as Wike.”
His remarks came a day after President Tinubu commissioned the refurbished International Conference Centre in Abuja—renamed in his honour—where he publicly praised Wike and advised him to ignore “busybodies” and “naysayers.”
Momodu criticised Tinubu’s choice of words, saying, “I listened to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria calling fellow Nigerians ‘busybodies’. Who is a bystander in his own country because of one man?”
According to Momodu, Wike’s celebration at the project launch—reportedly costing over ₦30 billion—raised eyebrows. “The man was dancing because he launched a conference centre… I saw the expressions on the faces of the audience—they looked befuddled, like, ‘what is our country turning into?’”
He described Wike’s actions as a continuation of his divisive political style from his time as governor, saying, “What Wike is doing is clearly being done with the backing of those at the top. It’s a rehash of what he did in Rivers.”
Momodu also took issue with Wike’s involvement in the internal affairs of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially his push to have the party zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
“Who is Wike to dictate where the presidential candidate should come from?” he asked. “He’s already picked his candidate and has no say in what the party will do. What he is doing now is tantamount to staging a coup against a political party.”
On his personal future in the PDP, Momodu dismissed any suggestion of joining the ruling APC. “If I wanted to join the APC, I wouldn’t be speaking to you. I’d be making excuses like everyone else. My soul is totally out of it,” he said. “I cannot sit in a room where one man dictates to adults who have worked all their lives.”
‘Democracy Under Siege’
Momodu further warned that Nigeria is regressing into a civilian dictatorship, stating that the country’s 26 years of uninterrupted democratic rule have been marred by rising authoritarianism and widespread poverty.
“On the eve of June 12, Nigeria is virtually back to civilian dictators who don’t care how you feel or what you think. Nigerians are hungry,” he said. “We’ve damaged this democracy, and I hope we’ve not damaged it beyond repair.”
Referencing the memory of June 12 and the struggle of late MKO Abiola, he added, “All those who suffered for this democracy—especially those who are now in heaven—if they can see us, they would be crying.”
