Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine and former presidential candidate, has stated that during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2022 presidential primaries, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, paid $30,000 per delegate.

MyNigeria recalls that Momodu also contested for the PDP ticket, which former Vice President Atiku Abubakar eventually won.

During an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Momodu said he was warned by a former president not to contest the election because of the amount of money Wike was giving to delegates.

“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.

“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.”

Momodu described Wike’s transformation since becoming the FCT minister as troubling.

“When a man who had been a nobody gets power, he begins to change slowly and steadily,” he said.

He lamented that Wike once respected a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, but had changed drastically.

“The oppressed man respects only one man: the oppressor. Wike used to respect only one man—Rotimi Amaechi.”

The Ovation magazine publisher also alleged that Wike has developed a heavy drinking habit.

“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.

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

Momodu made this known days after Wike, on the same TV programme, slammed him and described him as someone who is only concerned about food.

ASA