Hate or like Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s style of politics; his objective stance on what he believes in, his refusal to call a spade by other names, or his failure for a pretext to become another person to acquire power. Politics would have been described differently if it were devoid of intrigues and intricacies. Those are the attributes that set the no-nonsense first class ‘Mr Projects’ Governor of Rivers State apart from the rest.
Wike’s righteous indignation – even though it’s in the realm of the rumour mill that he’s about to quit the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) or abandon its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar – he would not be doing the unthinkable because of the absolute injustice meted out on him in a political party that openly subscribes to equity and justice.
First, it is difficult to believe that PDP minders in their wildest imagination would allow Atiku Abubakar, a northerner to fly the party’s presidential ticket against the constitutional provisions that talked about rotation after another northerner has been on the saddle for over seven years. Second, what qualifies Atiku Abubakar to be ranked above Governor Wike who has been dubbed “PDP conscience” for his untiring moral and financial support at a time Atiku Abubakar was hawking himself to be nominated by the APC under its presidential ticket?
What’s the reward for commitment, resilience and party loyalty if inconsistent character, political prostitute like Atiku Abubakar who has been junketing from one political party to another without ideology should be rewarded for debasing the same PDP in the past? Why should Governor Wike support a prodigal, compulsive political opportunist whose only political deposit has been that he comes from a region with manipulated population and make-believe myths of having stolen wealth with an entitlement mentality?
It’s even more infuriating that Governor Wike who scored 14 out of the 17 votes cast to nominate the PDP vice presidential candidate was left in the cold for little-known Governor Ifeanyi Okowa whose only contribution was that he opened the Delta State treasury for dollars rain on PDP delegates on Atiku’s behalf.
For a fact, the combination of Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa as one of the major opposition political parties has deflated the hope of Nigerians who were looking up to the party for redemption after seven years of the APC’s ruinous administration. This is because perception is everything in politics. Nigerians see Atiku Abubakar as a politician that has a serious allegation of corruption hanging on his neck.
The other day, he quickly pulled down his tweet condemning the roasting alive of Deborah Samuel after Islamic bandits threatened him with a no-vote in next year’s presidential election. How can such an unstable person, who barely visits Nigeria from his Dubai base each time elections are around the corner be trusted?
Atiku’s missteps and Wike’s righteous indignation have become the PDP’s new Achilles heel because you can’t step into the same river twice! It’s even more so now that Nigerians have an alternative to the two major parties.
Ikhide writes from Lagos
