{
  "id": 9096014,
  "title": "Why we stopped Peter Obi from winning Rivers in 2023 – Wike",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/why-we-stopped-peter-obi-from-winning-rivers-in-2023-wike",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T05:43:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/22/why-we-stopped-peter-obi-from-winning-rivers-in-2023-wike/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has revealed the strategy behind preventing Peter Obi from winning the 2023 presidential election in the state. Wike, who served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory during this period, stated that there were allegations pointing towards a manipulated outcome in Rivers State, favoring the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, had claimed victory in Rivers State. However, Wike and other members of the defunct G-5 governors coalition confidently stated that they worked together to ensure Obi did not win. According to Wike, the Labour Party was strategically allowed to win parts of the South-South in the 2023 elections to prevent Atiku Abubakar, the then-PDP presidential candidate, from emerging victorious in the region. He emphasized that the decision was solely based on their understanding of Atiku's strength in the South-South and the potential impact a PDP victory would have. Wike highlighted that the only exception was Rivers State, where they firmly believed that Obi would not win, as it could send a signal in the wrong direction. He reiterated that it is no longer the same scenario now, asserting that \"Obi can't win the South-South.\"",
  "summary": "Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has opened up on the circumstances surrounding Peter Obi’s failure to win the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State. DAILY POST reports that there have been allegations that the outcome of the polls, particularly in Rivers State, was manipulated to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress, […] Why we stopped Peter Obi from…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "All my children supported Peter Obi in 2023 – Wike",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/all-my-children-supported-peter-obi-in-2023-wike",
        "published": "2026-09-22T06:59:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Premium Times",
        "title": "Wike challenges Obi’s supporters to produce result sheet showing he won Rivers in 2023",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/wike-challenges-obis-supporters-to-produce-result-sheet-showing-he",
        "published": "2026-09-22T07:43:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}