Rivers Politics: What Does Wike’s Silence Mean
A basic feature of Nyesom Wike is to talk and react to any comment or issue about him. He’s not a politician that allows anything to slide. That’s why his silence on the political matters in Rivers State is deafening.
The effort President Bola Tinubu made to end the rift between Wike and Simi Fubara lasted for weeks. They are both technically irreconcilable now and the incumbent governor Simi Fubara is “enjoying the peace”. He has bragged to be fully in charge after a court in the state declared the seats of Pro-Wike lawmakers vacant.
Not only that, commissioners who are loyal and answerable to the FCT minister have tendered their letters of resignation. They said that the cabinet was toxic and ironically, Fubara considered their departure as an antidote.
In all of these events, Mr. Wike has maintained rare quiet. What could be the reason(s) for his current attitude to Rivers State matters? He has said that he wouldn’t let anyone destroy the political structure he built in the oil rich state. But his silence should be a concern most especially to his former accountant general Fubara.
As a tactician (in his own definition), the former governor may be planning for the next general elections in which he will shop for and sponsor another candidate to unseat Fubara.
Umar Ganduje worked against the interests of his former principal Rabiu Kwakwanso. The latter waited for eight years to have a replacement. Right now Abba Yusuf is undoing Ganduje’s work and his administration is probing the now national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
That may be exactly what Wike intends to achieve. Or he has accepted defeat. This is less probable. Someone who fought Atiku Abubakar tooth and nail till the former vice president lost the presidential election cannot throw in the towel that soon.
Another possible explanation is that Wike is too busy for the Rivers State matters. He has become one of the most serious and hardworking ministers of Bola Tinubu. Under his watch, a number of projects have been executed in the Federal Capital Territory.
The president is opening some of his landmark projects. Hence, it is most likely the activities have taken his attention. Whichever way, Nyesom Wike’s silence means a lot.
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