The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not step down from his ministerial role to pursue the presidency.
Speaking during a live interview on Easter Friday, Wike said that while legally possible, such a move now would not be genuine or practical.
He noted that running for president requires more than financial resources, as it demands broad organisational support across all states and the FCT, which he believes is not yet ready.
Wike explained that resigning to contest would be misleading, as it would give the impression of a serious bid without the necessary foundation to compete effectively.
Naija News reports that the former Rivers Governor said Nigerian politics sometimes encourages candidates to run for symbolic reasons rather than with the real intention to win, and he does not want to participate in that.
He said, “I could have resigned from the ministry and run for president, but I know it would be fake. Take for example, I want to come out for president, tell me, even if I have all the money, what impact am I going to make from now? We are not talking about local government chairman. We are talking about 36 states and the FCT. Can’t I do that?
“But I know that I’m being fake. You know that I cannot do it. Whom are you playing? You are playing the intelligence of Nigerians. Do you want us to go and pick someone simply because we want to be known as having run for president? Are you running to win or just to have your name on the ballot?”
