Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine and a former presidential aspirant, has alleged that Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), offered $30,000 per delegate during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2022 presidential primaries.
Momodu and Wike were among the contenders in the primary
election that saw former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerge as the party’s
candidate.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today aired
by Channels Television on Monday, July 7, Momodu claimed that a former Nigerian
president had advised him against participating in the primaries due to the
scale of financial inducement being employed.
“A former president of Nigeria sent someone to tell me not
to waste my money on the PDP 2022 primaries because Wike had raised the stakes
to $30k per delegate; $30k multiplied by 774 delegates,” he said.
Momodu criticized Wike for what he described as a lack of
fairness in the internal party contest. “What I expected of him was that if you
weren’t going to support a man, if you’re going to run, run a fair race, and
let’s leave it there.”
He also expressed concern over Wike’s conduct since assuming
his role in the Tinubu administration, saying the former Rivers State governor
had undergone a negative transformation.
“When a man who had been a nobody gets power, he begins to
change slowly and steadily,” Momodu said.
Recalling Wike’s political rise under former minister of
transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Momodu remarked, “The oppressed man respects
only one man: the oppressor. Wike used to respect only one man—Rotimi Amaechi.”
He further accused Wike of excessive alcohol consumption,
alleging that the minister once introduced him to a strong alcoholic drink
called Akeshi.
“Wike is consumed by the power he holds. The spirit of power and money is demonic when not managed properly,” Momodu said. “He drinks early in the morning. He introduced me to Akeshi, a strong alcohol, saying it helps him function. This is someone in public office.”
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