The conqueror, the champion, the lion is here

The emperor
The conqueror
The champion
The lion is here …

If you listen to Nigerian Afro beats, you must have heard the hit song by Chinedu Okoli popularly called Flavour titled Game Changer (Dike). If you don’t, then maybe you have heard it while scrolling through an Instagram reel or a tweet.

Flavour’s song titled Game Changer (Dike) is not the issue here. I am only here to celebrate the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The stanza above which was the intro in Flavour’s song, only strolled into my mind because if I were the leader of his well known live band, I would serenade him with it at his first set of public functions, as the new Emperor of the FCT. Why? Because his appointment as Minister is a well deserved one with some elements of cosmic justice that is quite satisfying. Also as a resident of the F.C.T, having a performer like Wike as the minister can only be exciting.

However, you might be wondering why it is satisfying? Because Wike was unfairly treated by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after all the sacrifices he made for the party while the present favourites of the party left it to rot in search of greener pastures.

Politics in Nigeria has become like a Soap Opera that one watches and is intrigued by. Most of the characters of the Nigerian political Soap Opera might be resented but there will always be characters that you want the plot to protect, if only because they make the show interesting.

One of such characters is Wike and the man is indeed controversial but you cannot ignore him. He is a main character. Anyone who has paid attention in the last couple of years must know that the Nigerian political story of the last few years cannot be told without a recourse to Wike’s doings. Yet we must remember what happened more than just a few years ago so that we may better understand what is happening now.

In 2015, the political terrain of Nigeria favoured an alliance that involved the merger of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian People Party (ANPP), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and most notably for this article, a faction of the then ruling party, the PDP – called the new PDP. This marriage was what resulted in the formation of a new political party called the All Progressives Congress (APC).

With this heavy coalition the APC went into the 2015 elections and defeated the PDP, such was its weight that it made a sitting President put a phone call to the APC presidential candidate to congratulate him even before the elections were officially announced by the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.

The APC conspiracy was meant to finish off the PDP and make Nigeria a one-party state but it was a certain Wike who stood firm and said No, this won’t happen.

It happened that after APC won the elections, the expectations of the new PDP faction was not met. One of them became the President of the Senate but still… the rest is history. Now they looked to seek refuge again in the Den that they not only abandoned but worked against. Still it was just politics, but the universe was looking on, observing, the interesting Soap Opera also kept playing, politically interested people were watching.

The 2023 election season was pregnant with plenty, it had hovered for a while but now it was here. Firstly the primaries had to be done and then the general elections. On the day of the PDP primaries, Wike was set to take the day, most of the party structure tilted towards him. He was the pillar that kept the party standing when these returnee defectors who were also contesting the primaries had once abandoned the party. The defectors wouldn’t however let that happen, in what was far from a fortuitous event, but smart wicked politicking, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, stepped down and the chief defector, Atiku Abubakar won. What was worse? Wike had thrown his weight behind the same Tambuwal for the PDP ticket, just four years earlier. It was a grand betrayal. The universe was still watching.

It is elementary knowledge in politics that when this kind of bitter primary election takes place, the party moves quickly to heal and appeal to aggrieved people. But what we saw was a juvenile hailing of Tambuwal as the hero of the convention by the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu. This was tantamount to adding acid to injury.

What followed was the contest for the Vice Presidential ticket of the PDP and again the party bungled it. A panel was said to have been set up, and Wike was chosen but the party overlooked him. As if he had not been shown enough disrespect, the then Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, was given the running mate slot. This was the final straw. Wike would make further demands about the party Chairman but by this time the universe had worn its judicial robe, Wike would get his justice.

It was Martin Luther King Jr that said, “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” When it came to Wike the PDP didn’t only throw away its conscience, it squeezed it like a piece of paper, poured petrol on it and set it on fire. He was disrespected, not given his due, not rewarded for keeping the party afloat, not shown any form of appreciation but rather the PDP defectors tried to embarrass, ignore and disgrace him. The party carried on with so much arrogance as if the celestial powers had assured them that they will win the presidential election without Wike.

The universe has now worn its robe, arrived in court, sat on its bench and delivered its judgement. Caesar has gotten what is his. The roles have been reversed. Wike is now the one cherished by the party he was an enemy to and the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State is the emperor of the capital of the most populous black nation while those who sought to disgrace him are waiting for a court judgement that may or may not favour them.

Politicians are hardly people on whose oars one can rest. It is highly risky to bet on them. Nonetheless if the new Emperor can replicate what he did in Rivers State, in Abuja, the capital of a country that has been crying out for decisive leadership, then in four years time or eight Abuja should be better than it is now.

Belgore can be reached via [email protected]
Twitter: @amintin