Nyesom Wike and Siminalayi Fubara Rivers State has been at the center of Nigeria's politics and political development since the return of this Republic in 1999. Being one of the states that stick to the record of giving the People's Democratic Party (PDP) the highest number of votes between 1999 and 2019, Rivers State, at the state level has been under the control of one political party, and that is PDP. However, as the future holds for the politics of the state, the new development in Rivers politics may give rise to a political reorganization, and, in turn, the political leadership of the state and their rivalry may have to go through a test against the turbulence of politics.
Today, there are three major political players in the politics of Rivers State, based on their activities over the past few years, it would be hard to talk about Rivers politics without recognizing the likes of the immediate former Governor of the State and current Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
In the tunnel for Rivers politics
There are emerging developments pointing at the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), aiming towards handling over structure of the party in Rivers State to Nyesom Wike, a member of the opposition party PDP but worked for the Presidential Election victory of APC during the last poll.
Considerably, this development, if achieved, will lead the state through another test of time, with leadership reconfigurations along many political elements.
Looking at how the three political stakeholders aforementioned from the state would be forsaken may be worth the time.
Rotimi Amaechi and Wike's Leadership
Currently, Nigeria has a President who is a full-star politician and one who understands the policies, strategies, and localization of the country's politics. This could be a major factor in addressing the political events that may begin to unfold in the Rivers Political domain.
The relationship between Nyesom Wike and Amaechi is currently sour, and Amaechi seems not to be in the good book of President Bola Tinubu's path to the Aso Rock Villa. This will immensely influence the nature of the political struggle that may erupt if Rivers APC is handed to Wike.
Amaechi is currently a member of APC but he was alleged to have worked for PDP during the last presidential election in the state, and besides he was alleged to have allowed himself used as a tool in the hands of the cabals during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari to frustrate, and attempt to halt the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu.
With Amaechi's recent conversations, he is not resolute to work with President Tinubu and that may influence him to dump APC, if Wike takes the leadership of the party in the state.
However, which party is Amaechi heading to, if he dumps APC? This question might hinder his political moves, and force him to join forces with a few others to float a new political party ahead of the 2027 General Election because PDP may not seem palatable for his defection.
The fact remains that Wike has solid control over the structure of PDP in the state, and with the resources available to him, presently, it won't pose much threat to him to maintain his control over the structure of APC and PDP in Rivers State.
Siminalayi Fubara and the recent Realities
Since May 2023 when Siminalayi Fubara was inaugurated as the Executive Governor of Rivers State, as a deep political analyst, you see a man who is ready to take no bow, regardless of your status in him.
Fubara's walking steps, modes of granting press releases, and physical appearances have long suggested he would go against his political godfather, Nyesom Wike. He had attempted that, and the faction of the national leadership of the PDP who worked against his Governorship Election are now giving him solidarity support, all to use him to rubbish his political benefactor, Nyesom Wike.
The impending political scenario in Rivers may have a final resolution to the hidden hostility between Fubara and Nyesom Wike.
Will Fubara attempt to outsmart his godfather regarding the structure of PDP in Rivers or not?
Will Fubara join forces with Atiku Abubakar's national faction of PDP to attempt eradication of Wike in Rivers politics?
Will Fubara accommodate Amaechi, and convince him to join PDP to work against Wike, ahead of the 2027 General Election or not?
Will Amaechi trust Fubara's accommodation, learning from the make-shift relationship he is currently having with Wike?
These and many other questions may justify whether Fubara will be in the political contest in the future of Rivers politics or not.
Nyesom Wike and the Political Missiles
Although he is in a position where he has access to whatever political tool he might need to walk through the political power tussle ahead of him, some challenges may face Wike if he eventually takes over leadership of APC in Rivers State.
Unfortunately, as he may be struggling with a power tussle from his political godson, Siminalayi Fubara, in the PDP, Nyesom Wike may suffer from trust deficit and leadership rivalry among APC leaders.
To complicate the issue, if Nyesom Wike shows interest in fielding the Governorship candidate of APC in the state without the knowledge of Fubara, the state may become restive for the duo and the residents as Fubara would be left for the race of survival.
The sustainability of the political structures in Rivers State by Nyesom Wike may lie grossly in whether he would be able to win the hearts of the current APC leaders in the state and create harmonization between leaders of APC and PDP in the state such that there won't be room for the leaderships of the two parties to unite and join forces in the fight against Wike.
The political futures of the trio of Nyesom Wike, Rotimi Amaechi, and Siminalayi Fubara depend heavily on the political criteria that will be put in place by the political stakeholders and how effective each of them maintains a clean relationship with the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who will be in dire need of Rivers, come 2027.
Category: World-News
Tag: Rotimi Amaechi Nyesom Wike Siminalayi Fubara Rivers State politics
Written by Omooba Alekuwodo (omoobaalekuwodo)
Published 11/23/2023 4:11:26 PM