The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has fired back at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his criticism of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for allegedly refusing to stand during the singing of Nigeria’s current national anthem at a party gathering in Lagos.
Wike had accused Obi of disrespecting the country’s national symbols and demonstrating a lack of patriotism after he reportedly remained seated while the current national anthem was being rendered but stood when supporters sang the old national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.”
The minister made the remarks on Friday at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, organised by the Rainbow Coalition to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and APC candidates.
Wike questioned Obi’s commitment to national unity, arguing that a presidential aspirant who disregards the country’s national symbols cannot be trusted with the responsibility of leading Nigeria.
He said, “A whole national anthem of a country is being sung, a man who wants to be President of Nigeria would disobey and sit down. And then not only that, when a different national anthem that is not being used for Nigeria was sung, he stood up.
“In a way, he does not belong to this country. In a way, he has said he does not belong to this country; that if you give him the president, he would do a different thing that will divide Nigeria.
“A man who does not believe in Nigeria, someone who derives joy in ridiculing the country by disrespecting its symbolic national anthem must not be allowed to come near the presidency of our country.”
However, the NDC dismissed Wike’s remarks, accusing him of hypocrisy and questioning his moral authority to speak on political tolerance, national unity and responsible leadership.
In a statement on Saturday, signed by Dr Chiogo Ikokwu, Spokesperson of the NDC National Campaign Council, the party said the minister should examine his own political record before attempting to judge the conduct of others.
The party described Wike’s comments as particularly ironic, citing his involvement in political controversies in Rivers State and his political manoeuvring between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It is extraordinary that someone whose political conduct in and outside Rivers State has been widely associated with deep divisions, political upheaval and prolonged instability, can suddenly appoint himself the moral referee of Nigerian politics,” the statement said.
Taking a swipe at the minister, the NDC added: “You cannot be an arsonist in your own backyard and turn up elsewhere preaching fire safety. Minister Wike has no moral authority to lecture others on political tolerance, unity or responsible leadership. He should put his own house in order before attempting to police the conduct of others.”
The party also defended the singing of the old national anthem at Obi’s Lagos town hall meeting, insisting that the rendition was spontaneous and neither organised nor scripted by the NDC or its presidential candidate.
According to the party, the supporters initiated the rendition themselves, describing it as an expression of the moment rather than a deliberate attempt to reject Nigeria’s current national anthem.
“It was not scripted, orchestrated or planned by anyone. It was simply in the moment, as expressed by citizens, nothing more, nothing less,” the statement explained.
The NDC further maintained that participants later sang the current national anthem, urging Wike to stop what it described as attempts to divert public attention from the country's economic challenges and the hardship Nigerians are facing.
It said the focus of political discourse should be on the economy and the performance of the APC-led government rather than the controversy surrounding the anthem.
“We need to focus on the issues that matter to Nigerians in this election – the economy, and the crippling hardship inflicted by the APC government,” the party added.
