IS WIKE AN ASSET OR A LIABILITY TO TINUBU?

By Rex Akindele

Sahara Weekly Reports That Politics, they say is a game of interest. No permanent friend, no permanent enemy but permanent interest. But in every sphere of life, there’s morality and a man is best respected by his principles and the values he stand for.

There’s this school of thought that says “if you don’t stand for anything, you fall for everything”. This is the crossroad where the former governor of Rivers State and incumbent Minister of the FCT, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike stands.

Loud, brutish and loquacious with a touch of arrogance, the APC as a political Party was always the butt of his not so funny jokes while he held sway as governor of Rivers State.

Wike rose from the ashes of the crisis that engulfed Rivers State in 2007 after the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP in the State which the then president, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo described as having a K-leg. The winner of that primaries, Rotimi Amaechi with a natural K-leg was not the preferred candidate of the powers that be and he was unceremoniously substituted with Sir Celestine Omeiha to fly the flag of the Party. What ensued after was a pre-election legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court. After the general elections which Omeiha won and was inaugurated as governor, the heat became unbearable for Amaechi and he escaped to Ghana on a self-imposed exile. It was Barr. Wike, a former Council Chairman of Obior/Akpor Local Government and close ally of Amaechi that stayed behind to coordinate the legal team and supporters of Amaechi until the case was decided by the Apex Court.

In appreciation of the job Wike did while he was away, Gov. Amaechi appointed him as his Chief of Staff during his first term in office. The Chief of Staff in the current system we practice wields a lot of powers and Amaechi, seeing how powerful and ambitious Wike was becoming, decided to cut him to size by not re-appointing him when he won his second term in 2011. Amaechi in one of his interviews, confessed that Wike was getting depressed and when an opportunity came to nominate a Minister from the State, a mutual friend of theirs pleaded with him to consider Wike in order to save him from a mental crisis. That was when Wike was nominated, and appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan as Minister of State for Education in his government.

When Governor Amaechi and President Jonathan fell apart, Wike took advantage of the crisis to build a parallel structure for Jonathan in Rivers and when Amaechi joined forces with 4 other PDP governors to create a faction within the PDP known as the New PDP, which later joined the APC, Wike, a cabinet Minister, took charge of PDP in Rivers State as the leader being the highest political office holder from the State. With the entire Party structure in his kitty and as the right hand man of President Jonathan who was contesting for a second term in office, the Governorship ticket of the PDP was an easy pick for Wike and despite the opposition from the then incumbent and his estranged friend, Rotimi Amaechi, Wike rode on the South-South sentiment and the popularity of President Jonathan in the region to clinch the governorship seat. This was Wike’s journey to limelight.

I have taken time to explain this to let you see that Wike is a crisispreneur and among active politicians in the country today, he has benefited from crisis the most. That’s why he rejoices whenever he sense a crisis anywhere as crisis to him is like the green grass to the green snake. His involvement with the APC during the last general election was as a result of the crisis that engulfed the PDP after their presidential primaries of 2022 in which he was an aspirant. His role in President Tinubu winning Rivers in 2023 can never be overemphasized but while he presented himself as someone fighting for the interest of Southern Nigeria, he lost what could have been a tremendous goodwill from such act by accepting a ministerial appointment from the president and the Party he had bad-mouthed for 8 years. It means it was all about his personal interest all along, which on its own is not bad if only he can swallow his pride and show some respect for others.

Mr Wike’s brazing use of his vantage position as a cabinet Minister in an opposition government to interfere with the governance of his home State of Rivers without reservation is becoming a moral burden for the Tinubu administration. Crisis of mistrust and disloyalty is common between successive governors and their predecessors in Nigeria since the inception of this democratic dispensation and on all occasions, the sitting governor always have the sympathy of the people.

At present, like Rivers, there’s a cold war in other States between governors and their benefactors, particularly in Benue State where Senator George Akume, a former governor of the State and incumbent Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and his anointed governor, a Catholic Priest turned politician, Fr. Hyacinth Alia are fighting for supremacy. Senator Akume has maintained a dignified silence and conducted himself in a manner befitting of a high profile government appointee while allowing his men to battle it out with the governor. In the case of Mr Wike, he talks at every given opportunity in a demeaning language directing his missiles not only to his State governor but also to any elder that dare to associate with the governor. Some of those words are not even good enough to be used on an opponent not to talk of members of the same political Party. His supporters continue to abandon him on daily basis as it seems the communities are now turning against those fighting the governor.

Rivers State is a very delicate State. One of the oil producing States in the country that has the privilege of serving as the operational base of most oil companies in the region. It used to be the hotbed of militant activities until the intervention of late President Umaru Yar’Adua who introduced an amnesty programme to appease aggrieved youths fighting many years of neglect and insensitivity to the plight of their people. Today, anything that threatens the peace of Rivers State is a threat to national security and it’s becoming obvious from the tone of Elders, traditional leaders and stakeholders of the region that the Minister of the FCT is seen more as a threat to peace in the State, a character unbecoming of someone who served as Chief Security Officer of the State for 8 years.

On the political side, Wike is lost between the devil and the deep blue sea. After the 2023 general election where the PDP failed woefully due to some decisions and miscalculations of her presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Wike was supposed to be the rallying point of aggrieved stakeholders and frustrated supporters of the Party. He was being looked upon, along side members of his G-5, to become the new face of the opposition in the country and give the Party new direction until he tumbled from his Olympia height. He had Governor Ortom, the former governor of Benue State who was a torn in the flesh of the Buhari led APC administration with him. But by choosing to serve as minister in an opposition government, he lost the trust of his fellow ‘comrades’ and the first to abandon him was the only remaining governor among them, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. His appointment as Minister from Rivers, with Mr President not giving extra consideration to the State in order to accommodate someone from the original APC family, threw the APC into confusion. Today, while the national secretariat of the APC dissolved the State Working Committee and installed Wike’s loyalists in a caretaker capacity, Wike remained a PDP member in the day and APC at night thereby allowing both Parties to suffer in the State as he continue to play the double game. Lovers of multi-Party democracy will definitely question President Tinubu’s democratic credentials on the account of this. A virile democracy strives on the foundation of a strong and healthy opposition and the President will do his image in the international community a lot of good if he concentrate on strengthening his Party rather than being seen as destroying the opposition.

Regardless the number of State Assembly members standing with the minister, it’s a near impossibility to impeach the governor as the State will go up in flames. Seen as the first person to emerge as governor of the State from the riverine communities since the return of democracy in 1999, Gov Fubara has played the ethnic card very well to his advantage. He has also succeeded in harvesting all the other former governors who were also at the receiving end of Wike’s arrogance, vindictiveness and winner-takes-all approach to politics.

It has now come to the public that with all the noise from Rivers during his time as governor, Local Government workers were denied the statutory minimum wage of ₦30,000 and for 8 years, their promotion was stagnated. The national leadership of NULGE had to send a powerful delegation to governor Fubara to commend him for righting the wrongs of the past by implementing minimum wage for local government employees in the State and effecting their backlog of promotions. If these and more is been done to ingratiate himself to the people, Fubara has succeeded to a great extent as it continue to eat into any godwill left of Mr Wike as his former trusted allies throng the government house in Port Harcourt on daily basis to pay homage to the governor and pledge their allegiance.

If an election were to be conducted in Rivers State today, can Wike still be able to deliver for Mr President? The answer is a big NO and the situation will get worse with time.

It is therefore high time President Tinubu begin to see Wike as a political liability and social disaster by reaching out to other stakeholders and making new friends in Rivers State in order to safeguard his political future in the Niger Delta.

Akindele wrote this piece from Kubwa, FCT and can be reached at rexakindele2000@gmail.com

*Will Primate Ayodele’s Prophecy On South Sudan Election Come To Pass? (VIDEO)

Although the government of South Sudan headed by Salva Kiir has disclosed its intention to hold a presidential election in December 2024, popular Nigerian prophet, Primate Elijah Ayodele revealed that the election date will be changed.

In a video which went viral, the prophet made it known in 2023 that he doesn’t see the election being held on the proposed date due to security issues that would threaten the election process.

The prophet who has sent several fulfilled prophetic messages to the country stated that the election will cause destabilization in the country and an imminent danger lies in wait if the election holds.

He also revealed that the country will come under international pressure once the date is shifted while reiterating that the election date isn’t realistic.

These were his words

‘The date for the South Sudan election will be changed, the election isn’t realistic because of insecurity in the country. If the nation goes ahead, the election will cause destabilization. Once the election date is shifted, the international community will begin to put pressure on the country. If the election is held, there will be danger. The election isn’t realistic.’’
WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

@primateayodele

#africantiktok #africatiktok #African #Africa #iescworldwide #primateayodele #southsudan #southsudantiktokers🇸🇸 #south #English #elections #southsudantiktokers🇸🇸

♬ original sound – Primate Ayodele

It’s nine months to the proposed presidential election, there is not much preparation for the election due to the crisis in the country. Will Primate Ayodele’s prophecy come to pass?

Alhaji Ibrahim Dende: A Fruitful Tree Planted By The Rivers of Water

By oba soyebo

A lie repeated a thousand times becomes truth. This is why right of reply is important to set the record straight. Recently, it appears that there’s a coordinated effort to damage the reputation of Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun, better known as IBD Dende in the print media. From story of his fake arrest in Dubai to another tissue of lie branded investigative journalism – where the fake news merchant tried unsuccessfully to pin a non-existent rice and gun smuggling crimes on the high-flying businessman. Like every other media attack, the latest onslaught is dead on arrival. A clear conscience fears no accusation. However, for public accountability, let’s set the record straight. And demystify the tissue of lie circulating in the media about Alhaji Dende’s business activities.

Who is Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun aka IBD Dende and what does he do for a living?

Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun aka IBD Dende, a native of Ebute-Igbooro in the Yewa axis of Ogun State is a successful businessman who plays big in the Nigerian business community. Like every success story, IBD started from the bottom, served under people’s tutelage and learned the rope for many years before his dawn of grace. Since he started out with clearing and forwarding, his entrepreneurial footprint has extended through Hospitality, Quarry&Mining to Automobile sale and Real Estate. Under his guidance, the business empire has grown to become one of Nigeria’s fastest growing privately-owned company with subsidiaries including IBD-Impex, the hospitality arm of the group. Under the subsidiary, IBD-Impex – the IBD Hotels owned by the group has certainly grown to becoming a leading brand in the hospitality industry in Ogun State. From its operational base both in Ilaro and Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, IBD Hotels leads the pack when it comes to the highest quality of hospitality service. Aside from boosting the local economy via massive employment, IBD Dende business interests mostly located in Yewa land provide significant support for communities in Yewa land. Better known for his resilience and commendable work ethics, IBD Dende has been relentless in his pursuit of excellence. Through his positive attitude to life and unwavering commitment to business expansion, he has equally succeed in other businesses including Real Estate and Quarry and Mining. Not the type to blow his own trumpet, IBD Dende plays big in the Quarry business. Over the last few years, he’s been quietly executing big budget projects across the country. In the real estate, IBD Dende is no pushover as well with multi-million naira real estate projects littered across choice locations in Nigeria and other neighboring countries. He’s taking over the real estate industry like a veteran. Described as one of Nigeria’s shrewdest serial entrepreneurials, IBD Dende is into automobiles as well. He is not your regular run-of-the-mill car dealers by the road side. His Apapa car port boasts hundreds of luxury automobiles fit only for the rich and affluent.

For IBD Dende, it has been a story of upwards and onwards. Certainly his meterioc rise has caught the attention of his detractors. They’re obviously worried about his rising profile and for whatever reasons best known to them – they’re employing every trick in the book to bring down. He’s even alleged to be nursing a governorship ambition come 2027. Baseless. IBD Dende is blessed. And everything he possesses, he earned by sweat. The compassionate businessman, IBD Dende, makes his wealth work for humanity. IBD Dende, a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruits in season and whose leaf does not wither has done a lot in the area of service to humanity. Call him one of God’s gifts to Yewa land and humanity and you won’t be wrong. Through his IBD Foundation, a non-profit organization he has touched thousands of lives through countless humanitarian ventures ranging from provision of scholarship, footing of medical bills, promotion of talents through musical shows and entrepreneurial development through skills acquisition and too many to mention. IBD Dende also owns a football club where he has been scouting and developing football talents for a fulfilling professional career in international football.
On account of his philanthropic ventures, Alhaji Ibrahim Dende has received many awards from prestigious organizations both locally and internationally. He is a proud recipient of several awards including the certificate of honour from Toronto Police as a role model and for enriching the lives of those in need.