Media entrepreneur, Nduka Obaigbena, has mocked the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in respect of the 2023 election, saying he has fallen.

Obaigbena is the Chairman of ThisDay Newspaper and Arise TV.

He buried his mother, Margaret Obaigbena, in Owa-Onyibu, Delta state, at the weekend.

In attendance were the crème de la crème of the Nigerian society, including Tony Elumelu, Kayode Fayemi, Charles Soludo, Godwin Obaseki, Ifeanyi Okowa and Aminu Tambuwal, governors of Ekiti, Anambra, Edo, Delta and Sokoto states respectively.

While hailing Tambuwal, whom he described as the country’s “future president”, Obaigbena said “Wike lule”.

“Lule” is a word in Yoruba which means “fallen or failed”.

Recall that Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), gave resonance to the word in an outburst — when he said it was his turn to be president (Emi lo kan).

“Chairman of PDP governors forum, Tambuwal! Presidential candidate, Tambuwal! Wike ‘lule’, Tambuwal! Wike ‘lule’, Tambuwal! Wike ‘lule’, Tambuwal! Future president, Tambuwal!,” Obaigbena joked.

In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) presidential primary election held in May, Tambuwal, Wike and Atiku Abubakar were among the contestants but the Sokoto State governor stepped down for Atiku, with Wike subsequently emerging second to Atiku.

Wike is currently in feud with Atiku; Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP National Chairman, and some stakeholders in the main opposition over their decision on some party activities.