Social commentator and businessman Isaac Fayose has claimed that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), would secure victory in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the 2027 presidential election.
Fayose made the assertion during an appearance on News Central TV, while reacting to recent comments by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike concerning the opposition’s strength in Abuja.
Wike has previously argued that it would be difficult for opposition candidates to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the FCT in 2027. In March, he said it was “very difficult for anybody to win an election in the FCT against Mr president,” while pointing to infrastructure projects carried out by the administration.
Fayose, however, disagreed with the minister’s assessment, declaring: “Abuja is NDC, Abuja is Peter Obi.”
He further claimed that the ruling party could only alter the outcome through alleged manipulation of results, while insisting that the NDC was putting measures in place to guard against any attempt to interfere with the electoral process.
“People are ready to vote. All we are scared of now is what angle are they going to suppress us from this time? This is the only area we are trying to fine-tune.
“Go to the street and try to talk to one or two people. Ask them, ‘Who are you going to vote for?’
“Abroad, before the proper election, they seek people’s opinions on who they want to vote for through mock elections. We don’t do that in Nigeria, but we need to start doing it,” he said.
Fayose’s comments come amid increased political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Wike continuing to publicly support President Tinubu’s re-election bid and opposition figures, including Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, positioning themselves for the contest.
The FCT is expected to remain a significant battleground, particularly given that Obi won the territory in the 2023 presidential election with 281,717 votes, ahead of Tinubu’s 90,902 and Atiku’s 74,199.
With the 2027 election still ahead, Fayose’s remarks represent his assessment of the political mood in Abuja, while Wike has expressed a contrasting view about the prospects of the opposition in the FCT.
