Still On Wike And How Not To Be A Political Godfather -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

The unfolding political drama in Nigeria especially Rivers State requires close examination. At the center of the Rivers political imbroglio is one man, Nyesom Wike who had previously govern the state and still wants to control the it by proxy. Before Wike, Rivers had had governors like Rufus Ada-George, Peter Odili, Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi. But none of these political heavy weights, though have their influence, has tried to play the puppeteer role like Wike who feels that for him to be relevant in the national political space, he must control the governor of his state. Wike wants to replicate the Tinubu’s godfather model that made him maintain a stranglehold on Lagos State. Tinubu left Lagos as governor since 2007 but he still nominates who governs the state, nominates the states representatives at the federal level and controls the state’s house of assembly. Members of his family and close allies are placed in sensitive positions in the state. This is what Wike wants to do in Rivers State but he forgot that Rivers is not Lagos. Rivers State is different; the people has different political behavior. Those in the Lagos Southwest may pretend to politically advanced but that does not go beyond showing solidarity to their tribesman to ensure that he wins or stays in power by any means necessary whether he is qualified or not. The Southwest will always refer to the North as feudal but as one of my colleagues has rightly observes, the Southwest is more feudal and more monolithic than any other part of the country.

So, it is Wike’s ambition that is brewing crisis in his home state, Rivers. But why is Wike so bent on controlling the incumbent governor of his state when his predecessors never treated him that way? The answer is simple. It is about Wike’s personal ambition for primitive accumulation. He wants Rivers resources and votes to negotiate higher stake in government in the post 2027 era. And Fubara’s moves since his reinstatement seem to threaten that ambition prompting the state house of assembly controlled by Wike loyalist to begin an impeachment move against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

In the impeachment notice, the state house of assembly pointed out about 8-point reasons for the process alleging among other things: gross misconduct, constitutional breaches and financial impropriety against the governor and his deputy, citing section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as their authority. And this will make it the third time since 2023 impeachment notices have been served the governor without concrete reasons all at the promptings of the godfather.

But many believed and rightly too that the impeachment notice is not about failure of governance or breach of constitution as alleged but about enforcing personal agreement and conditions given to the governor by the godfather before his recall from suspension. And many are also worried because of the implications of the impeachment for if the governor and his deputy are removed that would pave way for Martins Amawhule, the speaker and Wike’s loyalist to take over. And this has become a matter of public concern. Rivers State stakeholders have spoken concerning the situation. Former governor of the state and elder statesman Dr. Peter Odili is quoted to have condemned the move and warned Wike to let the governor be. The Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) have condemned the alleged impeachment move, warning about the grave implication of harassing an elected governor.

And in another development some groups within the APC, the APC leaders Forum and others have asked Tinubu to sack Wike from his cabinet for insubordination, anti-party activities and misconduct capable of threatening national unity. The group led a peaceful protest at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja to present their demands.

Wike has reacted to the public outrage about his activities in his state by making a tour of his state. He was quoted to have complained that Governor Fuminalayi Fubara betrayed him by joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) without his knowledge. Wike and his allies believed that the governor’s defection to the APC will work against their alleged pact with the governor not to seek for a re-election. Wike and his group cannot be shouting “agreement is agreement” when they are not bold enough to disclose the terms of the said agreement. Yes, there is obviously some agreement reached before the lifting of the suspension but the content may not be palatable to look at and hence the reluctance to disclose it to the public. In the paper circulating in the social media, Governor Fubara was said to have been given about 20 stringent conditions for peace that would consign him to the status of glorified puppet. Among other things, he was instructed not to nominate any local government chairman, directed to sack his chief of staff, Dr. Edison Ehie, and forbidden to seek a second term in office.

Unfortunately for Wike, the movement of Governor Fubara to the ruling APC seems to nullify some of the items in the said agreement. For instance if the APC chooses to hand Fubara a second term ticket, Wike may not be able to stop it. That is why Wike has accused the APC leadership of complicity in the whole thing. He has accused the party secretary of going to Rivers State to collect his share of the state allocation. He has also been ranting about what he did for the APC: how he has manipulated the judiciary against the PDP in Osun local government funds case, how he has rigged the Rivers State election in favor of the APC…Of course, he sees the APC which he has been standing upon their mandate to destroy the opposition PDP as ingrates.

Clearly, there is a number of grave issues emanating from the Rivers State political crisis that need to be critically examined and tackled. Why would one man hold his state to ransom, harassing a serving governor with impunity and everybody is watching helplessly? Is it lawful to enter a personal agreement constraining an elected governor? Will personal agreement supersede the constitution? In a sane environment, people like Wike would sacked and be made to face corruption charges. But unfortunately, Tinubu has turned blind eyes to Wike’s excesses despite strident calls to rein him in ostensibly because he sees him as a strategic political asset for his 2027 re-election bid. We have a government run by men without scruples and institutions and organs of government compromised and constrained by high-level corruption, impunity and ineptitude. And that is the cause of this state of affairs.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK