Dele Momodu Urges Tinubu Not to Elevate Wike, Cites Unstable Conduct and Questionable Character

Media mogul and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu has publicly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to stop promoting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that Wike’s behavior and temperament make him unfit for greater national responsibility.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Momodu reacted to Wike’s recent media outing, during which the minister launched verbal attacks on political opponents and former allies. Momodu said Wike’s conduct was unbecoming of a public official.

“My appeal to President Bola Tinubu is that no matter what you are expecting to gain from Wike in 2027, he is not the kind of character you should promote,” Momodu said. “Not the kind of man who should hijack our collective patrimony.”

Momodu, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), linked his fallout with Wike to their shared interest in the presidency. He recalled notifying Wike of his ambition but said he was later warned by a former president that the PDP presidential ticket had become far too expensive.

“Wike had raised the stakes to $30,000 per delegate. That’s over N17 billion. Even if I sold my entire family, I couldn’t raise that kind of money,” he said.

He also accused Wike of publicly mocking his candidacy. “He went on air and laughed at me, asking what someone like me who lives on Twitter was doing in the race. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just politics — it was personal.”

Despite once working with Wike professionally, Momodu said the relationship soured after his media company helped boost Wike’s image. “We helped polish his image. We trained him in public speaking. But you can take a man out of the bush; you can’t take the bush out of the man,” he added.

Momodu also reflected on Wike’s political evolution, saying the former governor once revered his predecessor Rotimi Amaechi but changed once he got into power. “After becoming chairman of Obiakpor Local Government, that was when his metamorphosis started. In Nigeria, power brings money, and money can become demonic if not managed.”

Describing Wike’s latest media appearance, Momodu said: “What I saw on display last Friday was a man soaked in esoteric spirits. Alcohol and drugs often have the same effect.”

His comments have further highlighted growing tensions within the PDP and the broader political scene, where Wike remains a divisive and controversial figure ahead of the 2027 general elections.