In Nigeria, ministerial aide argues with host over description of PDP candidate
In Nigeria, Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and social media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, refused to answer a question from host Rufai Oseni during the Arise Morning Show on September 4. The reason was Oseni’s use of the term gbewudani in reference to Sandy Onor, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Premium Times Nigeria reports.
On-air dispute
Olayinka said he did not want to answer Oseni’s questions and stated that a conversation should take place between “reasonable people” who do not call others gbewudani. After that, the programme’s co-host, Ayo Mairo-Ese, interrupted the interview.
The columnist explains that the word gbewudani comes from the Yoruba language and literally relates to the image of a person who holds someone else’s clothes for a short time. In traditional usage, it is a derogatory term for an excessively submissive man. In the modern political context, according to the author’s account, the expression may mean a protégé, a puppet, or a figure dependent on another person.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Context surrounding the PDP candidate
Oseni used the expression while commenting on Wike’s support for incumbent President Bola Tinubu, despite Onor’s nomination as a candidate in the 2027 presidential election by a PDP faction that the column links to Wike.
According to the columnist, Onor became the consensus candidate of this faction in March. The committee that announced the decision was headed by former governor Samuel Ortom, described as a Wike ally. The event took place at the party’s national secretariat under the supervision of chairman Abdullahi Mohammed and secretary Samuel Anyanwu, whom the author also links to Wike’s political wing.
The columnist also referred to Olayinka’s words that Wike told Onor he could run, although the PDP’s current condition makes it difficult for the party to achieve a notable result. Olayinka added that not all election participants expect to win: some, he said, run to make their presence known.
