Rivers: One governor, two godfathers, by Ochereome Nnanna

Barring immoderate past infinitesimal hitches, Amaopusenibo Siminalayi Fubara volition beryllium backmost to bureau arsenic the Governor of Rivers State aft enduring his six months “suspension” by President Bola Tinubu. He volition not beryllium the aforesaid confident, belligerent and defiant rebel who walked distant from the Brick House, Port Harcourt connected March 18, 2025. The Tinubu/Wike rainfall has beaten him silly, and his starch has washed off. The “federal might” has happened to him.

Fubara was the Accountant General of Rivers State nether erstwhile Governor Nyesom Wike. He was considered the astir loyal among Wike’s governmental disciples from the riverine geopolitical conception to beryllium astatine the Brick House for Wike. Wike, a nonrecreational politician, wanted to go the godfather of Rivers. Obviously, Tinubu, the astir palmy and entrenched governmental godfather successful Nigeria’s history, is his relation exemplary successful this aspiration.

Initially, Fubara was consenting to play. But Wike’s godfather ambition rankled with the generality of the Rivers people, governmental elite and Nigerians. Three erstwhile governors – Dr Peter Odili, Chibuike Amaechi and Wike, each from the Igbo-speaking “upland” geopolitical zone, enjoyed their respective eight-year tenures with implicit freehand. Indeed, each of them was truthful imperially ascendant that they squandered billions of Rivers people’s wealth connected their failed statesmanlike aspirations. Fubara’s emergence from the Ijaw taste handbasket represented what astir Nigerians saw arsenic a deserved powerfulness displacement to springiness the “riverine” radical their due. In this, Fubara had wide nationalist support.

Ordinarily, Wike would ne'er person dared Fubara. Because of the wealth and powerfulness astatine a governor’s disposal, nary predecessor ever dared a sitting Rivers State Governor. Most members of the Rivers elite beryllium connected the bully graces of a sitting politician to thrive. The chiefs, elites, youths, women and roughnecks automatically flock to the broadside of a sitting governor. A Rivers sitting politician volition destruct you without reasoning doubly if you “cross” him. Sitting governors routinely demolish people’s properties whimsically.

What makes the quality for Wike is that helium played “smart” astatine the precise process extremity of his tenure, and “supported” Tinubu successful the 2023 statesmanlike predetermination successful Rivers. He besides had 4 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rebel governors – Samuel Ortom (Benue); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) tagging astir him successful his avowed ngo to destruct the PDP aft his failed statesmanlike bid. Tinubu, ever the farsighted, shrewd governmental speculator, reasoned that having Wike connected his broadside would assistance him execute aggregate objectives beyond conscionable “winning” the statesmanlike predetermination of 2023.

One was the last demolition of the PDP, the erstwhile impregnable ruling behemoth. Even aft being dethroned successful 2015 aft its 16-year rule, the PDP inactive frightened the All Progressives Congress, APC, successful 2019 erstwhile the precocious Muhammadu Buhari ran for a 2nd term. If Atiku Abubakar had been allowed to assertion his wide perceived victory, PDP would person scuppered Tinubu’s statesmanlike ambition. Had Buhari not utilized the military, constabulary and information to hijack the predetermination and get it validated by a Supreme Court Electoral Petition Tribunal, determination would beryllium nary “President Tinubu” today.

So, Tinubu continues to spot the extinction of the PDP arsenic a strategical ngo helium indispensable execute to afloat dominate. Wike has go a precise invaluable instrumentality successful that enterprise. To crown it all, Wike is helping Tinubu to infrastructurally upgrade Abuja. Wike is 1 of the Ministers who Tinubu has openly heaped praises connected successful nationalist events.

The astir important usage that Tinubu has for Wike is the seizure of Rivers State. Since 1999, Rivers State has remained unshakably a PDP state. Even erstwhile Amaechi, who was elected connected the PDP platform, tried to resistance it into the APC successful 2015, helium failed woefully. Wike, his estranged erstwhile Chief of Staff, defeated Amaechi’s candidate, contempt that PDP mislaid the presidency. While the combat betwixt Governor Fubara and Wike lasted, the contention was for the power of PDP and authorities of Rivers. The APC was, arsenic usual, a specified bystander. But aft Fubara’s suspension and humiliation which robbed him of his exclusive powerfulness implicit his “red biro”, helium is returning to bureau with the APC efficaciously successful complaint of the grassroots. He is present not lone a puppet but a lame duck arsenic well. After the caller kangaroo section authorities predetermination conducted by a Rivers State Indepe...