The crisis between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his godfather, Chief Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has reached an unprecedented boiling point, fueled by incendiary remarks and defiant declarations, writes Assistant News Editor PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU.
The tension in Rivers State occasioned by ego-war between ousted Governor Sim Fubara and his godfather, Nyesom Wike, reached crescendo last week with the declaration of a State of Emergency by President Bola Tinubu and the appointment of a sole administrator retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a former Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and immediate past High Commissioner to Ghana.
For 13 months, political upheavals have caused instability, governance issues and security tensions in the oil rich state with many attempts at settling the warring parties ending in deadlock.
But at the heart of this crisis, observers believe, was the many unguarded rhetoric by Fubara, who critics accused of exhibiting crass disloyalty to Wike, the very man who picked him up as his successor, shielded him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that was out to nail him over alleged financial improprieties during his tenure as Accountant General of Rivers State, as well as went all out to campaign for him and ensured his victory at the last general elections despite disapprovals from strong actors in the state.
In the heat of the battle between both men, Fubara is believed to have made a series of bold statements that deepened the divide in the state’s political landscape.
The illusion of a smooth transition
Interestingly, when Wike picked Fubara as his successor in the build to the last general elections, many in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and in fact the entire country envisaged a seamless continuation of Wike’s political dynasty. As protégé of the former governor, Fubara was expected to maintain Wike’s legacy while steering the ship of governance in a familiar direction. But underneath this well crafted political succession arrangement laid a ticking bomb that exploded soon after the inauguration of Fubara as governor.
Cracks began to surface almost immediately Fubara ascended the office with insiders citing the composition of the state executive as the deal breaker.
Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reportedly handed Fubara a list of loyalists for key positions but the godson had other plans and was bent on asserting his independence.
Words that fanned the fire
In no time, what started as a silent power play turned to a spectacle with both Wike and Fubara making reckless comments that only fueled the fire. While Wike’s outbursts and actions could best past for a godfather fighting to finish to hold onto his claim to power, Fubara’s series of defiant utterances especially directed at the very man who allegedly singlehandedly picked him and funded his campaign, were seen as ill-advised.
That the embattled governor chose to speak him mind at every given opportunity- sometimes with blunt defiance and at other times biting sarcasms were too much a pill for egoistic Wike to swallow.
While Fubara’s supporters cheered his courage, his critics saw recklessness and political naivety. His loyalists saw his words as those of a man fighting against bullying, oppression but his opponents believed they were rather unnecessary provocations that further inflamed tensions.
One of his most talked-about remarks came at the height of his conflict with the River State House of Assembly, where he declared: “The worst that can happen is for me to leave the office. Am I leaving the earth? Will it stop me from existing?”
Delivered with an air of finality and an “I don’t care” attitude, this statement was generally interpreted as a challenge to those plotting his removal to do their worst.
As if that was not enough, Fubara dropped another bombshell when he said: “Our state must not be dictated to by those who no longer hold office here,” a statement that cut across as a direct rebuke of his benefactor, Wike.
Coming from the same Fubara who had appealed to his godfather not to abandon them in Rivers, following his appointment as FCT Minister, observers saw in that thinly veiled attack, a public declaration that he would no longer govern under Wike’s shadow.
What followed was a swift political brouhaha as the Assembly, largely controlled by Wike’s loyalists, immediately moved against him.
Amidst the growing discord, Fubara continued to wield words like a sword. He urged lawmakers to “legislate for the people, not for personal interests,” a statement seen as a direct challenge to the assembly’s alignment with Wike.
Their plot to impeach him suffered setback with the fire outbreak at the Assembly complex and the further temporary relocation of legislative office to the Government House which made it impossible for the lawmakers loyal to Wike to attend plenary sessions.
He went further to declare that “the root cause of this crisis is the battle over who controls the resources of our state,” an assertion that only hardened positions rather than fostering reconciliation.
The peace agreement
Sensing the dangerous trajectory of the conflict, President Bola Tinubu intervened, brokering a peace deal to restore order. The agreement required Fubara to reinstate commissioners loyal to Wike and work in harmony with the Chike Amaewhule-led State Assembly. At first, he appeared to comply. But soon after, he backtracked, allegedly on the advice of some elder statesmen from the Niger Delta, who told him to assert his authority and fight on.
This move fueled suspicions that he had no intentions to give peace a chance but would rather deploy theatrics and continue to play the victim card.
Fubara’s response to critics questioning his reluctance to fully implement the agreement was yet another defiant remark: “I have followed the Constitution to the letter. The agreement is not a death sentence.
Rather than quelling tensions, his words only widened the rift. The state assembly continued its push for his impeachment, his administration faced mounting resistance, and protests erupted across Rivers State.
Consequences of loose talk
Politics is often a game of strategy, where words must be measured and timing is everything. Fubara’s utterances, while reflective of his strong-willed personality, have arguably escalated the crisis rather than resolving it. His refusal to temper his language, even when faced with provocation, turned what could have been a manageable political disagreement into a full-blown war of attrition.
The consequences of his statements are far-reaching. His relationship with the legislature has soured beyond repair. His government remained under siege with the Supreme Court judgment that nullified the budget he presented to the assembly loyal to him and an order that the state budget be presented before the Amaewhule-led legislature.
The peace deal, which could have offered a path to stability was thrown in the dustbin. Faced with this reality, the governor who had also not paid these lawmakers their salaries and allowances since the crisis begun, resorted to writing them through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to come for discussions on their wages. Rather than deploy tact and diplomacy knowing he was holding the shorter end of the stick, Fubara chose defiance, while the people of the state bore the brunt of the power tussel.
Lesson in political communication
Fubara’s experience is a cautionary tale for leaders navigating the treacherous waters of politics. Words are powerful-they can build or destroy, unite or divide. A single sentence, spoken in the heat of political battles, can have consequences that linger long after the dust has settled.
Had he been more circumspect and chosen his words with greater care, the crisis might not have escalated this much. He could have asserted his authority without alienating key political figures. He could have signaled his independence without igniting open warfare. He could have negotiated from a position of strength without making enemies out of former allies.
In politics, as in life, sometimes, it is not about what you say, but how and when you say it. Fubara’s journey serves as a stark reminder that words cannot be taken back once spoken, especially in the volatile world of Nigerian politics, where the slightest verbal misstep can set off an uncontrollable chain of events.
