By GEORGE AZUNDA CHINDA
Following President Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of Governor Fubara and members of the RSHA for an initial six months, albeit allowing the Judicial arm to continue, and the appointment of a Sole Administrator, some public commentators, especially members of the old APC in Rivers State, took to their social media handles to denigrate former President Mohammadu Buhari for failing to wield the powers vested in him against Wike as the then Governor. To them, Wike did more than enough to have the SOE declared, and why Buhari refused to act is still unfathomable. They praised Tinubu for knowing how to effectively use power.
After reading their lines, I laughed and realized that many are still grappling with understanding the man, Wike. He’s arguably one of the smartest political tacticians to have ever graced the Nigerian political turf. Like Dr. Okolo Oteri Eme once remarked: “…forget about his gruff voice and mannerisms, Wike is one of the few smartest politicians alive today.” In all the political confrontations with the Federal Government and the presidency, Wike never forgot his oath of office and, more importantly, that of allegiance to the State. He knew when not to joke with important matters of the State. He knew when not to trifle with security issues. He knew when to rile his opponents and adversaries using languages and rhetoric permissible within our political system.
In all, nothing was found to nail him with. If anyone tells you there were no attempts to nail Wike by the then FG, dismiss it; Wike was too smart, and he also ensured he worked with insider sources in the presidency who were influential and powerful to soften the ground whenever the big hammer was to hit. When they boasted that they knew all Wike knows but that Wike doesn’t know what they know, which they referred to as AI politics, I rolled on the ground with laughter because almost every single day that passes, we watch them make schoolboy errors that even a greenhorn would contemplate before embarking. A plethora of such errors abound.
Given tacit support to and failing to dissociate himself from faceless ragtag groups masquerading as militants threatening to cause havoc in the State, withholding 3 to 4 months’ allocation of elected Council Chairmen in the State whose tenure has not elapsed, emasculating the legislative arm of government in the State, seizing their salaries and other entitlements, demolishing the Hallowed Chamber of the State Assembly, invading their residence, and the worst sin against the State, governing for about 18 months without appropriation. He majestically moved about like a despot without knowing that such actions have no place in democracy, and as such, a day came when a higher authority, in line with statutes, invoked an emergency rule that would see him give way for sanity to return to our body polity.
In the time Wike reigned as Governor, he was accused of aligning with criminals to unleash mayhem on his political opponents. He was accused of many horrible things, which are merely political; however, knowing the meaning of his oath of allegiance to the Nigerian State and that of his office, he challenged the daredevils headlong and sanitized the State. He knew it was his responsibility to ensure security of lives and property in the State. With vigor and without compromise, irrespective of who was involved, they were exterminated. We saw how he dislodged the IPOB encroachment into Rivers State. He still has not been forgiven by select members of a section of the country till date. Wike may have his faults, but from day one, he was not cut out to make such mistakes made by his successor, which earned him suspension and may gravitate to an expulsion, except calmed heads prevailed.
