The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is clearly lacking in tact and seems hellbent to self-destruct. How can someone just believe that at all times it’s his selfish interest or nothing? How does an individual believe that an entire state must do his bidding or hell will let loose? Wike is increasingly becoming a public nuisance and how he cannot perceive this beats one’s imagination hollow.
Wike is not the first to become Governor of Rivers State. And just like everything in life comes and goes with time and nothing except change remains constant, the Minister of FCT just cannot come to terms with the reality that he is no longer the governor of Rivers and that the state does not belong to him alone.
With all the shenanigans he has been displaying, for how long does he think he can get away with these antics? He practically sets Rivers State on fire just for the fun of it: to show that though he is the FCT minister, he still determines what happens in Rivers.
He has no real interest in the PDP and pretends he loves the party the most. How does one love his party and is still bent on weakening the party against the ruling party? How can Wike claim he is of the PDP yet insists that political parties in Rivers must work for the victory of President Tinubu APC in 2027. Where else is politics practised this way?
Anybody with a sense of pride or self-restraint or any modicum of dignity from Rivers must be aghast or is it petrified to read headlines attributed to Wike, such as, for instance, that his decision for Rivers cannot be reversed; Past political mistakes in Rivers cannot be repeated; Supporting Tinubu won’t earn you a return ticket; No victory in Rivers without our grassroots structure; APC leadership in Rivers is not about being Governor; Rivers will vote based on interest, not political parties; Wike Hails Rivers Assembly members for supporting Tinubu; Wike thanks Tinubu for helping him take over Rivers LGs; There is no APC or PDP in Rivers etc.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing subsisting court judgments, unresolved legal processes and factions within the PDP.
In response to the decision, the Turaki-led NWC’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, maintained that the party leadership was legitimate and emphasised that there was no faction within the PDP.
However, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the Nyesom Wike-backed faction, hailed the move as a faithful adherence to court judgments.
Prior to the Ibadan convention, the Wike-led faction did everything possible to ensure that it never took place.
Wike’s only objective is to ensure that the PDP remains comatose until the 2027 elections to suit his purpose and selfish interests as he has on several occasions openly declared his support for APC’s President Tinubu.
After being pummeled to submission, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, thought leaving the PDP for APC he would secure some security or reprieve, but alas, that is not to be.
Now, Wike who is supposedly in PDP is telling Gov Fubara that APC’s gubernatorial ticket for 2027 is not for him, and as if that is not enough, he said that being a Governor does not make Fubara the APC leader in Rivers. Who then is the party leader of APC in Rivers and is that decision Wike’s to make or the APC’s?
As though to prove that he still runs things in Rivers, even if he is now of the FCT, Wike hosted one of those media chats where patronising questions are asked, in Port Harcourt, just to remove any shade of doubts as to who is in charge in Rivers.
He also has been undertaking what he called “thank you visits” to local government chairmen and the “Renewed Hope Family.” Pray, which party does Wike really belong?
During his visit to Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State he also pledged, “We will do all we can to see that we give President Bola Tinubu all the total support that he requires.
“Money cannot solve this problem the governor has started. Tell the Rivers people what was discussed with the President. If you succeed with the first one that was resolved, you will not succeed with the second one.
“There cannot be two captains in one ship. So whoever is assuring you that when you shout on your mandate that all is well, then you are wrong.”
When men play God. All the boast of being a captain and Fubara shouting on your mandate will not secure him a second term, is because Wike still has a pool of resources as minister of the FCT to throw around. Should Tinubu decide to drop him as Minister today, his vaulted sense of self value will be gone. That will be the end of Wike’s shenanigans and so-called political relevance or criminal structure.
Is it not strange to see Wike bicker so much over disloyalty and breach of agreements when he ranks as the highest culprit when it comes to disloyalty and biting the fingers that once feed one?
Everyone who played one role or the other in his meteoric rise from obscurity to stupendous wealth, he has openly insulted, rubbished or has severed links with.
When Wike speaks of not having two captains in one ship, is it Rivers that he has in mind?
To the best of one’s knowledge, there is only one captain in Rivers today and that is Governor Fubara. Wike has done his 8 years and must move on.
We know that for his capacity for mischief, President Tinubu might want to keep him, but he must realise that he is not indispensable.
So, the extent to which he performs or is relevant to Tinubu’s ambition is owing only to the President wanting him to.
It is about time that the President calls Wike to order. Conducting himself around the state as though there are two sitting governors and openly disparaging the sitting governor is taking his luck too far.
That there was absolute peace in the state during this provocative tour round the local governments, is indicative of the fact that Wike is the agent provocateur in all of the crises besetting the state from within and beyond.
Wike wants to eat his cake and still have it. He says he is in PDP yet everything he has done since 2023 is to hackle the party beyond redemption just so that he can continue to enjoy the patronage of President Tinubu.
However, if indeed, the vote of the people really does count, Tinubu should realise that Wike’s increasing nuisance value may be too much a price to pay come 2027.
