Has Wike Met His Match in Obaseki?

Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State may have thought his Rivers State colleague, Governor Nyesom Wike some lessons in decorum

Many Nigerians have seen an audio-visual clip on the social media recorded at a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) function in Port Harcourt in which the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio reportedly took a swipe at Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. Wike fired back with salvos that left Akpabio dazed and wishing he had not awakened the beast in the Rivers Governor.

Wike has had a long run as the unchallenged champion of irreverent talk and bad behaviour in public. He is always on the prowl for a fight. He has become the master of a type of politics with no rules or restrictions.

In 2018, Wike threatened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Rivers would teach the party a bitter lesson if it dares to takes its presidential primaries previously scheduled for Port Harcourt to another city. He said: “Let me warn the party, if you dare, Rivers State will teach the party a lesson. Those days have passed when they took Rivers State for granted. Nobody can use and dump Rivers State.

“No presidential aspirant can use and dump Rivers State. We never lobbied for it, we never asked for it, but it will boost the economy of the state. People will make money. Those who are against Rivers people from making money to improve their businesses will not get our support.” The party renounced the plans to jettison Port Harcourt, ostensibly to please Wike.

It has been taken for granted that Wike has become an irritant, both to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and members of his own party, the main opposition PDP. No one can be sure in whose direction, Wike will attack in his continuous disgraceful public conduct-a pattern he seems to have adopted in his many debacles. Wike Trump continuously looks down on people, after his succeeded in curtailing the influence of the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, since 2015, having taken advantage of the goodwill of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Wike goes around with the conviction that he is the best thing to happen to the PDP and to Nigeria.

No one has dared to demand an answer from Wike his frequent faux pas. He has continued unfazed, raining insults on traditional rulers, the clergy; no dignitary is spared from his corrosive and uncouth statements because has no respect for the borderline.

The assumption in many quarters is that Wike is a tough and dangerous foe to tango with. Among his colleagues-governors-he is treated with a degree of caution and those who condone him do so for his capacity to be a pest to their common enemies.

Many times the Rivers Governor’s vituperations amount to plain meddlesomeness. At other times, he appears to overplay his hand and even indict himself. For instance, when he attacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State for switching political party loyalty from the PDP to APC, Wike stated indiscreetly that he and the PDP were behind the court judgement that sacked Umahi. That was a most unintelligent thing to say! With Wike, you can expect the most self-assertive speech that makes many recoil in amazement.

An official of the Ebonyi State government appropriately reacted thus: “We like to place it on record that Ebonyi State is not in the same geopolitical Zone with Rivers State and so nothing would have prompted Nyesom Wike to make such unguarded comment about Governor Umahi, if he is not a cheeky hatchet job-man.”

“Wike from the statement has taken responsibility for the pronouncement of the Federal High Court, thus requiring that he explains to Nigerians how he now calls the shots in the Nation’s Judiciary without being a Judge.”

“Nyesom Wike,” the Ebonyi official said, spoke as if as if he has the Nigeria Judiciary in his armpit.”

Wike’s recent verbal attacks have been directed at Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Mr. Phillip Shaibu. The Rivers Governor had gone for the jugular of the top public office holders in Edo State because both men complained that the state chapter of the PDP was hostile to them, saying that they may be forced to leave the party. The ink had hardly dried on the paper on which this statement was printed when Wike called out both men for being ungrateful to the PDP. He even said the National Chairman of the party must discipline Shaibu.

Used to being on the offensive and brow-beating his opponent to submission, Wike was shocked when Obaseki dug in his feet and stood his ground to defend not only his deputy, but to ward off further attacks by the Rivers Governor.

Obaseki, who has become schooled at taming overbearing ‘lords,’ has plenty of experience from battling his former principal and governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole to submission. Obaseki, it was who fought back former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu resulting in one of the lowest points of the APC National Leader’s political career. So, when Obaseki said he was used to dealing with bullies, Wike stopped to have a re-think.

Indeed, Wike has been carrying on as if he owns the PDP and that his wishes should be law of the party.

However, the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu who is one the original founders of the PDP has called for a truce to promote the decorum that has been largely established since he assumed office.

Obaseki refuses to be the cowering victim that Wike sought to make of him, the tables have turned; perhaps for the first time, Wike has met with a courageous compatriot who is able to look him in the eyes and call his bluff. By this act, Obaseki may have unwittingly given a shot in the arm to many long-suffering persons who have been at the receiving end of Wike’s caustic tongue.

Again, Obaseki has come out stronger with many discerning persons signing his praise for teaching the Rivers Governor a lesson or two in decorum. Assuming Wike is better schooled in how to conduct himself in public, the Rivers State Governor may become a person and lend himself to the onerous task of providing credible alternative views to opinions of the ruling APC, while helping his party, the PDP to assume better credibility with Nigerians.