Rivers politics is about to witness very interesting times yet again. For some time, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has been the one bulldozing the political landscape in the state and positioning himself as an emperor who noone can dare to challenge.
But politics is a very interesting enterprise and the actors even make it more interesting by their modus operandi. Since 2015, the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi and the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, two Ikwerre brothers have dominated political discourse in Rivers State.
They both were very chummy hitting the political turf , even in their days in Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) from where they incubated their political careers. Amaechi later became the speaker of the state House of Assembly, while Wike clinched the chairmanship of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, all on PDP platform. Their political bond even grew stronger going forward as Amaechi served as speaker for eight years. So did Wike as chairman of Obio/Akpor.
When former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared Amaechi ineligible to run for the office of governor in the K-leg saga, even after emerging from the primary and was forced into exile in Ghana, it was Wike who became like Amaechi’s consort, coordinating all the ‘relief materials ‘ being sent to Amaechi in Ghana to sustain him and his family.
When the Supreme Court was still vibrant and in a landmark judgement that sacked Celestine Omehia as Rivers governor, recognizing Amaechi as the rightful person for the position, Amaechi had announced Wike as chief of staff of his government minutes after taking the oath of office. Amaechi also recommended Wike to then President Goodluck Jonathan for appointment as minister in his cabinet.
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That was however, where the bubble burst for the duo as Wike latching on federal might began to plot for the fall of Amaechi, who had also fallen out with President Jonathan. Eventually, it was Wike, who triumphed in the political skul-duggery and became elected as governor in 2015, beating Amaechi who had fielded Dakuku Peterside in the APC.
Since then, the rivalry between the two Ikwerre politicians who once shared common political ideology in the Believe Family set up by Amaechi grew worse. For most of the period while Wike held sway as governor, Amaechi who became minister under late Muhammadu Buhari presidency retreated to Abuja, avoiding Rivers State for what he referred to as Wike’s violent style of politics.
Interestingly, the APC where Amaechi pitched his tent and became the party leader in the state failed to put its acts together as internal squabbling left the party clay footed and could not fiercely challenge the PDP which sustained its hold on the state till date.
However, analysts say the coalition of politicians which has strengthened the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a political party could mark a watershed in the political equation in the country ahead of 2027 general election, particularly in Rivers State, Amaechi having emerged as the party leader in the South-South.
Wednesday, July 23 was the first time the former governor returned to Rivers State since the coalition adopted ADC as a platform to challenge the APC in the 2027 general election. The reception accorded him at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, on arrival was a foretaste of what to expect in the days ahead as politicking for 2027 gathers momentum.
The former governor had a hectic time wading through the surging crowd already dressed in ADC colours and cap to climb onto the pilot vehicle where he stood to address the people.
For many politicians and political enthusiasts in the state who might have become disenchanted with the goings on in both the PDP and APC where the FCT minister stands like an albatross, ADC presents a veritable alternative and it would not be a surprise to witness a tsunami like movement from both parties into the ADC.
As it stands, the stage is getting set for another titanic clash between Amaechi and Wike on the political turf. Incidentally, none of them is a neophyte in the game.
But Amaechi appears to have discovered Wike’s winning strategy over the years and is already sensitizing the people to be at alert and watch out for those who write results and announce that they have won.
He said it categorically that the state is “notorious”for writing results and claiming victory. And it is obvious whom.he referred to as the “state”. The antidote he believes is peoples’ resistance. And he charged them, “I will not work with you if you will not match with those result merchants who announce results ” The message is very clear. Interesting times are really ahead.