The political landscape of Rivers State has become a national spectacle, defined by a bitter and public feud between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his political godson, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. This conflict, which has exposed deep fissures within the state's political firmament, is now seen as a masterclass in political brinkmanship orchestrated from the highest levels of power in Abuja.
The Breakdown of a Political Alliance
What was once portrayed as a stable master-protege relationship has disintegrated into open hostility. The core of the conflict stems from Governor Fubara's audacious political move, which Wike had believed to be impossible. Fubara defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of President Bola Tinubu. More critically, by virtue of his position as the sitting governor, Fubara automatically assumed the position of leader of the APC in Rivers State, designated as number 001 in the party's register for the state.
This move strategically undermined Wike's own carefully laid plans. The former Rivers governor, who had played a pivotal role in weakening the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from within, had been biding his time for a grand entry into the APC. Fubara's preemptive strike has effectively vanquished or eternally postponed Wike's moment of triumphant crossover, leaving him politically outflanked in his own domain.
Wike's Reaction and the Tinubu Factor
True to his combative reputation, Nyesom Wike has not accepted this assault on his political sovereignty quietly. He has been issuing ultimatums and vocal threats, even extending his warnings to national party officials. In a thinly-veiled retaliatory statement, he cautioned the APC not to take Rivers State's support for President Tinubu's presumed 2027 re-election bid for granted, sounding what observers describe as uncharacteristically maudlin.
Political analysts suggest the hand behind this dramatic shift is that of Alhaji Ajibola Bashiru, the National Secretary of the APC, who is believed to have been tasked with cutting Wike down to size. The overarching strategy, however, is widely attributed to President Bola Tinubu himself. The combined effect has been to clip Wike's overgrown political wings and reposition Governor Fubara as the primary power broker in Rivers State politics.
The Larger Political Calculus and Lessons
President Tinubu, unable to openly discard Wike without appearing ungrateful for his past support, has deftly used Fubara to diminish Wike's self-acclaimed political leadership of Rivers State and the South-South region. This move popularizes Tinubu's reputation for pulling the strings of political intrigue from behind the scenes without direct association.
The saga serves as a modern political fable. It echoes the lesson from Aesop's story of the Lion and the Wild Ass, where the weaker partner in an alliance is ultimately dispossessed. The narrative underscores the peril of entering partnerships with overwhelmingly stronger entities. For now, Wike is expected to privately lick his wounds while plotting a new strategy to reposition himself for access to President Tinubu's inner circle, as the political circus he once dominated now unfolds to his apparent detriment.
