One fact nobody can sweep under the carpet is that the developments in Rivers State are not a plus for our young democracy. I know political gladiators sometimes test their strength to achieve one or more purposes: either they use it to chart a new course or cow their opponents. But, sadly, the situation in the state is gradually degenerating into anarchy – which is the ultimate goal some mischief-makers plan to achieve.
In any case, the concern of this article is not to apportion blames. What I have set out to do is to explore the options available to all the parties involved in the unfortunate crisis, particularly the need to bury the hatchet and build new relationships that will engender faster development in the crisis-ridden state.
It is very unbecoming that some persons could tie the crisis to the subtle struggle for power between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Chibuike Amaechi. What struggle for power? There is no correlation between the powers and functions of the office of the president and that of a state governor. Both are miles apart. Those who drop the name of the President in the ongoing crisis do so for their selfish gains. These garrulous and cantankerous elements believe by dragging the name of President Jonathan into the fray they will be able o achieve their nefarious goals more easily, forgetting that the President is not a fool. As far as I am concerned, President Jonathan is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And nobody is contesting that. Why then would any rational human being insinuate that Governor Ameachi is struggling with the President for the control of Rivers State?
It is painful that those who make this dangerous allusion have failed to weigh the harm they do to the integrity and person of the President. Interestingly too, the President has never made any comment pertaining to the sad developments in Rivers State since the crisis began. It is this seeming silence that is, probably, fueling the impasse. Nevertheless, what would any person have expected the President to say in a matter not directly connected to him?
Any discernible person can easily decode the remote cause or causes of the imbroglio. First, let us look at 2015. Yes, Rivers State is a very strategic State both to the ruling behemoth, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and the opposition. Each wants to control the state in the next election for personal gains, not necessarily for the well being of the people. As you already know Rivers State is very resourceful and prosperous. So, it is the pride of any political party. Second, it is generally believed that whoever wins Rivers State in a presidential election garners a sizeable percentage of the votes and coasts home to victory. This was the case during the 1979 and 1999 presidential elections won by Shehu Shagari of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Olusegun Obasanjo of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) respectively. Third, the multicultural and multiethnic nature of Rivers State makes it very volatile and prune to belligerency such as militancy – all geared toward controlling the wealth of the state. Recall that the Niger Delta insurgency had its root in Rivers State, from where it spread to other Ijaw territories in Bayelsa and Delta States. Fourth, it is likely that some of the President’s men (without his consent) are working to enthrone a regime they deem would be amenable to the dictates of the President and eventually profit them.
Those familiar with the history of the state would appreciate the points I have made. Rivers State from inception has remained the cynosure of eyes. It has always reeled from one crisis to another. If it is not fighting oil thieves, it is trying to contain the menace of militias who find respite in the creeks to foment trouble. Politically, it is a very combustible place with highly placed and powerful sons and daughters with tentacles spread to the corridors of power. The oil wealth of the State is always a source of discomfort for the state. Incidentally, the current crisis cannot be separated from the oil wealth – the struggle for the control of this important resource.
Close watchers of events in Rivers State can attest to the fact that the travail of Amaechi, therefore, came to the fore the moment the misunderstanding between his State and Bayelsa over the control of some oil wells was blown open. Governor Amaechi and his people were piqued by the development and sought the intervention of the Presidency to no avail. As a fall-back position they chose to fight instead of sit and watch what belonged to them snatched away from them. The open confrontation between the two states became messier by the day, culminating in the present multi-faced saga.
The curious thing about the crisis in Rivers State is that it takes a new dimension as it deteriorates. First, it was the fingering of Amaechi’s former Chief of State and current Minister of State for Education, Onyesom Wike. Wike is leading the Abuja onslaught against Amaechi. I must confess that I was intrigued by the rift between Amaechi and Wike. I had thought the two men were five-and-six-pence. I started smelling a rat when Wike, as Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, was arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), interrogated and later released. Soon after he was appointed Minister and posted to the Ministry of Education. That was when everything changed. Nobody can tell exactly what agreement he struck with the commission before he was released. His carriage at the ministry since his appointment as Minister of State smacked of somebody drenched with power. He speaks with so much confidence you would think he was the defacto Minister. So, his strength must come from somewhere not too far.
His recent speech at a thanksgiving service in honour of the newly-court declared chairman of PDP in State, Chief Felix Obuah, showed the direction the crisis was going to assume in the days and months ahead. He made it clear that Amaechi had lost control of the party forever. What informed his choice of words is what I do not know.
Second, the forces against Amaechi won their legal battle – restoring Chief Felix Obuah as the chairman of the party in the state. This infuriated Amaechi and his supporters to the point of frustration. The last thing Amaechi had thought would happen to him at this time was to lose the control of the party machinery in state. His henchman, Chief G. Ake, was removed by the court, leaving his supporters in the cold. As if that was not enough the hornet nest was stirred when crisis erupted in Obio Akpor Local Government in which its chairman and all the councilors were sacked. Naturally, this did not go down well with Onyesom Wike. He comes from the same local government council. And so he fought back from Abuja with all the ferocity he could muster. The PDP Headquarters directed the governor to rescind the decision to dissolve the council’s management. Since his ego was at risk the governor shunned the directive of the party, paving the way for the party to wield the big stick.
Next was the withdrawal of security personnel attached to key functionaries of the state, especially the leadership of the State House of Assembly. Feeling vulnerable, those affected cried out and this forced the powers that be to restore their security aides.
As if not to give Governor Amaechi any breathing space, the intrigues were extended to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) of which Amaechi is (or was) the chairman. PDP went for Amaechi’s jugular when it asked him not to contest for a second term as chairman. Calling the bluff of the party Amaechi threw his hat into the ring, contested and won. But his victory was immediately contested, leading to the emergence of a parallel NGF, led by governor of Plateau Chief Jonah Jang. Before the election of NGF held on March 24, 2013, a new PDP Governors’ Forum had been born, with Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom – a fierce loyalist of the President – as chairman. The birth of PDP Governors’ Forum took Amaechi’s Camp by storm. The 16 governors that voted for Jang outside the official venue have since opened a new secretariat in Abuja and appointed a Sole Administrator, Osaro Onaiwu, to administer the place. Interestingly, the Jonah Jang Faction has been endorsed by the Presidency as the authentic forum of Nigerian governors.
No matter how any other person looks at the entire thing, however, what I know is that Amaechi is being boxed to the corner day by day. And this does nobody any good. There are speculations that there are subterranean moves to impeach him as well.
In all of these, I would want to offer my own advice. First, to the President: I want you, Sir, to openly intervene in the crisis in Rivers State. By openly endorsing the Jang Faction, it may be safe to conclude that you are incensed with Governor Amaechi. And your anger is natural. I know the governor must have done certain things that portrayed your highly-exalted office in bad light, making you take extreme measures to call him to order. Remember, Mr. President, to err is human and to forgive is divine. Rotimi Amaechi is not a match to you in any way. Fighting him with all the might of your office is tantamount to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. You have the 36 states, plus the Federal Capital Territory as your constituency. Singling one of them for such a fight is not healthy and square. I recall with nostalgia the circumstances that led to your emergence as President and they make me feel bad at the protraction of the mess in Rivers State. Mr. President, you are a child of circumstance, and should always see yourself in that light. My fear is that unless you took urgent steps to restore normalcy to Rivers State the ongoing crisis may lead to dire consequences for the state and our nation. I am sure you can invite the governor and talk sense into him as your citizen instead of the current approach of chastising him. Your consideration to intervene should be driven by the love you have for the people of Rivers State, from where Bayelsa State was carved out. So, no matter the geographical differences, Rivers and Bayelsa States are one. Mr. President, some of those fighting Amaechi with or in your name are doing so to advance their selfish political cause and not necessarily that they are loyal to you or love you. Human beings are very funny and sly: they stand by somebody when the going is fine and dump him as soon as things turn sour. If the ‘war’ in Rivers State is because of your aspiration in 2015, then there is an urgent need to distance yourself from it. You should know that 2015 is still in the bowels of history. It is only God that can determine what will happen. If it is the will of God you will be President in 2015 and beyond, then there is nothing anybody can do about it.
I know deep inside me, Sir, that the goings on in Rivers State are quietly troubling your heart, because they are unnecessary distractions. You have enough troubles on your hands and numerous challenges to tackle. Then, why add Rivers State to the list? Seeing the state of emergency you declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa through requires total concentration. Removing Amaechi as governor will not add to or remove anything from your office, which is already exalted. God placed you where you are today out of his kindness – to make you a leading light to the world. So, it behooves you to show similar kindness to others, especially those that offended you. I challenge you to restore normalcy in Rivers State today and see if God will not surprise you with an uncommon favour.
To Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, this is the time to wear your thinking cap and beat a retreat fast. There is no need squabbling with the President, because it is a battle you cannot win. The office of the President of Nigeria carries enormous powers, and when these powers are evoked it crushes anybody in its trail. You should not look at the President as a former deputy governor and vice president. Level has changed. He is now the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has an unfathomable capacity to make life miserable for you. Forget all the noise your supporters are making: they will desert you the moment you cease to be governor. From the support you have received from the state legislature, members of the National Assembly from your state and other groups, it is certain you are liked and very popular. But that is so long you remain the governor and control tangible financial resources. Bear in mind that the forces massed against you are formidable. Think over all that has happened so far and you will discover to your consternation that your state is suffering from the burden of the crisis. Your priority should be to leave lasting legacies for which generations unborn will remember you. That being the case, you should choose between your personal interest and that of the Rivers State people. They accuse you of harbouring a vice-presidential ambition. Though there is nothing wrong in that. Nonetheless, you should dump that if it makes some people uncomfortable. Think about your future, safety of your family and the welfare of the people of Rivers State who would be collaterally affected should anything untoward happen to you. God forbid! God has been gracious to you – raising you from grass to grace. You had been Mayor of Port Harcourt, Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly during the tenure of Peter Odili as governor, and now a two-term governor. What else do you want? If it is the will of God you would be vice president or president, nobody can stop you. They said you contested for a second term as chairman of NGF against your party’s directive. If that is true, then, it was wrong. So long as you remain a PDP governor you must subject yourself to your party’s directive. If you want to do things your own way the proper thing to do is to found your own party or resign from PDP. Your suspension is a prelude to a stiffer action against you, which you may find unpalatable. As your name ‘Chibuike’ (God is my strength) goes, all will be well with you if you hearken to the voice of reason. God will desert you the moment you fail to listen to the small still voice.
Now to those that fuel the crisis in Rivers State: You should search your conscience and desist from fomenting trouble. If you love President Jonathan as you openly profess then you have a responsibility to make him succeed. And one of the ways to attain this objective is to make peace between him and his perceived adversaries. You should, for once, bury your selfishness and work for peace in Rivers State.
Let me make it very clear: the crisis in Rivers State will not lead to the victory for either President Jonathan or Governor Amaechi or their teeming supporters; rather it will end up tearing the entire nation apart, because those involved in the fight are too powerful and connected to be ignored, and their tentacles stretch to as far as Damataru and Jigawa in the north, Lagos and Ogbomosho in the west, Abakaliki and Awka in the east, and Calabar and Yenagoa in the in the south.
I rest my case and pray God to intervene in his own way.
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