Wike: Atiku by the Balls 

Politics in Nigeria is a more dangerous game than is immediately obvious. A foreign analyst may conclude that Nigeria’s political style is no different from that of any other African country. But such analysts have no idea what they are talking about. How, for example, would they explain the actions of Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike in the light of his straddling the lines of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)? How does one explain the fact that Wike appears capable of single-handedly demolishing the dreams and presidential aspirations of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar?

Reports are all over the place that Wike has banned Rivers State PDP members from campaigning for Atiku. These reports started after some of these members visited Atiku to reassure him that Wike and all of Rivers were on his side, but Wike allegedly slapped aside their comments and went further to warn them against using his shoulders to advertise Atiku to anybody.

Now, it is obvious to anybody with eyes and a working mind that all is not as it seems with the PDP. This was very evident after Atiku won the presidential primary and Wike came second. The latter accused delegates from the South of having betrayed him. Then came the time for Atiku to choose a vice presidential candidate, and Atiku went for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, leaving Wike with nothing. Ever since, Wike has drifted from place to place, seemingly running his own show without any consideration for the PDP.

The biggest piece of evidence for Wike’s is-with-us-is-not-with-us behaviour is that he has no problem sharing laughs with APC Governors. With these Governors going, “Wike, you ehn, you ehn,” one cannot say exactly whether Wike has the APC or Atiku’s interests at heart, or just the latter’s gonads in his hands. With his influence in the South-south and South-east, Wike may be the single human determinant of where the mantle of presidency will settle in 2023.