Open letter to President Tinubu: Plea for caution in handling Wike/Fubara conundrum

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT: PLEA FOR CAUTION IN HANDLING WIKE/FUBARA CONUNDRUM

Wishing Your Excellency, the service-oriented and very supportive first lady and the entire first family of the Federal Republic of Nigeria prosperous and another successful Year.  

The problem in Rivers State has always been there. Instructively, it would continue to be there, even in the foreseeable future.

It’s the struggle for power and political authority simply on account of enormous resources of oil & gas deposits within the geographical enclave.

It didn’t start with Wike Nyesom and it won’t end with him.

In the past three or four decades, particularly since the turn of the 4th Republic in 1999, the leadership tussle has been a recurring decimal.

The situation wasn’t different in the heydays of Victor Odili, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and presently, Wike Nyesom.

But, the fact remains: The sitting president has always found a way around it.

And, Nigerians exercise no doubt of Your Excellency’s innate capacity, discerning mind, unusual wisdom and political know-how to navigate through this challenge.

It’s imperative that Your Excellency doesn’t get tired and frustrated in continuing unifying the warring factions in the oil & gas enclave for obvious reasons:

Over decades, a would-be Nigerian president MUST always stand out in triumph, in Lagos, Kano and Rivers states to ensure unassailable victory in Nigerian presidential polls.

This is on account of the three (3) states’ dominant population, of all the thirty six (36) states of the federation.

With enormous work and political manoeuvrings in Kano and Lagos that Your Excellency has done since your assumption of office in 2023, there is no doubt that resounding victory is assured in the aforementioned two states.

And, if Rivers state present political logjam is handled and managed with care and tact, it would also go the way of Kano and Lagos state.

This is why this writer is totally uncomfortable with the position already taken by the National Chairman and National Secretary of APC on the political challenge in Rivers.

Governor Fubara has also not helped matters. After the lifting of Emergency Rule that endured for 6 months, Nigerians expect a total rapprochement on the part of the governor. He has done this!

His indiscretion in presenting 2026 Appropriation Bill to the State Executive Council for approval, instead of the House of Assembly totally negates the provision of 1999 constitution as amended, and, it’s even an impeachable offence.    

He’s also alleged to have refused to abide by all agreements brokered between him and Wike group by Your Excellency.

As much as I agree that the constitution of the party is supreme, nonetheless, each case should be treated on its own merit.

Obviously, the case of state is totally different from all other cases and the Rivers state case must be looked at from this prism.

It’s instructive to take a deep reflection of where APC and Wike Nyesom are coming from.

The former Rivers state was a candidate to beat during the 2023 PDP presidential primary. The Northern Aristocrats within the party plotted against him. Instead, they ceded the primary to Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner from Adamawa.

Other Southern PDP governors felt ridiculed. They rallied around him. They indeed form a group….G5, essentially aimed at truncating the eventual triumph of Atiku Abubakar at presidential polls.

Nigerians vividly remember that Your Excellency cultivated the group.

Result: They found firm belief and comfort in Your Excellency’s promises. They pitched their tents and cast their loins with us, in APC.

The rest is history, as Wike Nyesom led the group to collaborate with APC to truncate PDP and Atiku Abubakar’s presidency.

As in every other similar case, the oaths and covenants reached were only with Your Excellency during the defining and auspicious time.

The present APC National Chairman and Secretary were not even in office, to be part of the agreement.

At that moment, Governor Simi Fubara never knew he would be governor of the state.

Wike Nyesom and his group shouldered the entire responsibility of joining us to dismantle Atiku Abubakar and PDP.

Presently, his unwavering and relentless support for the cause of APC has rendered PDP comatose, so much that the party would continually find it difficult to present candidates for elections at all levels, a development that would continually give ruling party advantage.

Your Excellency, it’s important we admit that presently, Wike Nyesom is indomitably rooted and almost in total control of grassroots politics in Rivers state.     

Political leaders in PDP and APC at the grassroots reference him. Wike Nyesom is like a political deity in Rivers state. This is one bitter truth we must live with.

Yes, Wike Nyesom could be overbearing sometimes, but, I passionately plead that Your Excellency must find a way around this challenge.

We must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. This is what the National Chairman and Secretary are plotting to do.

Of course, this indiscretion would be inimical and counter-productive for the ruling party at polls.  

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.