Celestine Omehia, the former governor of Rivers that was not, just tasted the pang of a Greek’s gift that was not. No tears from here. As the biting pidgin goes, “awoof de purge!” Beware of the Greek and his gift!
Legislative gangsterism is not new. In the heyday of military misrule, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida handed the late Chief Ernest Shonekan the poisoned chalice of Head of Interim National Government (ING) — a clear prize as co-conspirator in voiding Basorun MKO Abiola’s presidential mandate.
When the law unhorsed Shonekan in November 1993 and the late Gen. Sani Abacha rode that crass opportunism to power, he used a military decree to “re-validate” Shonekan as “former Head of State”. The Egba chief was lucky to live that lie till he died. But that was because he was wise enough to know his limits.
Not so Omehia, another avoidable disaster by another General of yesteryear, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had won the Rivers governorship ticket for 2007. But the meddlesome Obasanjo suddenly declared Amaechi’s ticket “don get k-leg”.
Long story short: Omehia “won” the election. But Amaechi eventually took power, courtesy a Supreme Court verdict that ruled Amaechi was the “right” candidate, with legitimate claim to his party’s win.
But then came legislative rascality, powered by extant political expediency. Nyesom Wike, soon to become post-Amaechi Rivers lord of the manor, goaded the Rivers legislature to “ratify” Omehia’s power misadventure as “former governor” entitled to pension, the prefix “His Excellency” and other privileges flowing from that office — an office he himself knew was phantom. That, just to spite Amaechi.
But then the catch: Omehia, like the late Shonekan, would always know his place. Not so! Omehia clearly forgot his place, by being part of the Atiku Abubakar local Rivers plot to cut Wike to size, in the 2023 presidential election sweepstakes.
Like the Yoruba butterfly that thinks himself a bird, Omehia strayed — and Wike and co promptly reminded him of his butterfly status, “de-listing” him as governor — and told him to, pronto, return all the cash he had grossed from the phantom privilege.
Well, no tears from here. Omehia should have mastered the Shonekan primer. Still, his denuding is umpteenth reminder of the barbarity of Nigerian politics. Sad.