Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemekay my Hi Eze says comment credited to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, wherein he stated that nobody can take away his political structure, is validly petty, unreasonable and grossly remote from every sense of rational judgement.
Recall that the political fuss between Wike and the Governor of Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara, which stemmed from the major clog on the wheel of state progress occasioned by the harsh, haughty and overbearing interferences from the later, climaxed to the peak with attempts by a faction of the state legislature to commence impeachment proceedings against the Governor on the instigation of Wike, even when the Governor had not committed any gross misconduct as provided by law, to warrant such action.
In one of his many media briefings to justify his intentionally stifling actions against the progress of the Governor, his administration and the people of Rivers state, Wike noted thus – “nobody can take away my political structure, no one. You cannot work and people begin to bring enemies, those who fought you when you are struggling for the person to be in office, nobody does that. I am not a political ingrate, I am not — but don’t touch the political structure of Rivers State. I will not shut my eyes”
Reacting through a statement made available to the media, Chief Eze said Wike is characteristically lacking in the minimum charismatic requirement and conviction that qualifies one for admission into the class of leaders with the worldview and standard inclination to build a structure of humans with a loyalty barometer devoid of regular monetary compensations and rewards.
He said Wike did not build any structure, rather, as a Governor forcefully foisted on Rivers people by Patience Jonathan, he used the economic powers his former office wields to truncate and permeate into existing structures painstakingly built by the likes of Peter Odili, Rotimi Amaechi and others.
He challenged Wike to name one reasonable, notable politician or leader he groomed in Rivers State as to justify his boastful claims that he has a political structure in the State.
The APC chief said the fictitious claim which attracted support from some clownish political hustlers who crowned themselves elders of Rivers State during a solidarity visit to Wike, to console the later after being served breakfast by Sim Fubara, is an unacceptable afftont to the personas of His Excellency Sir Dr. Peter Odili and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who are the builders of men and owners of any political structures in Rivers State.
To buttress his assertions, Eze went back memory lane highlighting how Wike’s ambition to succeed Amaechi as governor started from his days as Chief of Staff to then Gov. Amaechi. The fact remains that while Amaechi was busy providing dividends of democracy to the people, Wike, on the other hand, was busy undermining Amaechi and using all the connections and goodwill of the Rivers State Government to conner Amaechi’s men, assuring of influencing their positioning into strategic positions in government with the additional promise of empowering them financially through award of contracts.
When appointed as the Director General for Amaechi’s reelection Campaign Organisation in 2011, he used this platform to test the ground of his ambition . It was a circle he ensured that only those he has corned were appointed into and served as key mobilizers at the grassroots. By the time he was appointed minister of state, Federal Ministry ducation, based on the recommendation of Amaechi to Dr. Jonathan, Wike went further with his gubernatorial ambition plot by forming the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) using some misguided individuals in the Amaechi’s Team who could not resist his heavy dollar wads. It was the said political pressure group he used to deceive the public which he feigned was formed to assist in the re-election of then President Jonathan. But in fact, the outfit was formed to pursue his gubernatorial ambition. He used the outfit to formally recruit his foot soldiers from Amaechi’s circle for the battle ahead, using the influence of then President Jonathan and his wife. Under our nose, this body was heavily financed and motivated, and its presence was established in all the constituencies of Rivers State with FG’s money.
It was this group that he used to dislodge over 11 key Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members that wanted to contest the 2015 governorship election under the PDP platform. Those that wanted to play games were properly beaten up and molested at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Before this time, Wike, based on political exigency, tactfully suppressed his gubernatorial ambition from public view. Instead, he offered himself as a tool to spearhead the political battle between Jonathan and Amaechi. He gave everything within him to execute this, with the PDP ticket as a target.
Sadly for him due to his high-handedness most of these key actors like Abiye Sekibo, Austin Opara, Celsetine Omehia who were hitherto Odili/Amaechi’s Strong men have left Wike. Then one wonders which political structure for which Wike is claiming credit, apart from some of the misguided fellows whom he claimed he purchased their nomination forms and imposed as political leaders in Rivers State which in civilized climes, ought to have resigned for such an embarrassing narrative peddled by Wike that they are unable to buy forms to contest election.
Eze called on the public to disregard the claims by Wike that he own the political structure of Rivers State and urged him to accept the fate starring him in the face over the crisis that has cut off his wings and tamed his overbearing influence on the state and the management of her resources.
