A comparative study of Rivers State and Bayelsa State contemporary politics
● Prior to the November, 2019 Bayelsa State isolated governorship election that produced Sen. Douye Diri (of PDP) as governor, over 80% of the members of the State and National Assemblies from Bayelsa State were loyalists of his predecessor Sen. Dickson who was instrumental to their emergence as PDP candidates and success in the February, 2019 general election. Recall that Sen. Dickson was also instrumental to Gov. Diri’s emergence.
● As the “godfather” of Bayelsa politics, Sen. Dickson decided who got what in the adminstration of Gov. Diri without any disagreement, and produced almost all the cabinet members
● But as was the case in most states, after a while, Gov. Diri and his godfather Dickson had undisclosed disagreements.
● Information from close political actors revealed that when the disagreement started, members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, National Assembly members from the State, majority of the cabinet members, elders and political leaders of the PDP (most of whom were Dickson’s loyalists) refused to take sides but rather insisted that reconcilliation was the best option for the good of the State in order to avoid creating a dangerous precedence that will affect the peace and progress of the State.
● On their parts, both Gov. Diri and Sen. Dickson exhibited high level of maturity and love for the peace of the State above their personal interests, by wholeheatedly accepting the reconcilliation.
● Today, Sen. Dickson and Gov. Diri are getting along in peace and mutual respect, and governance is moving smoothly, with loyalists of both men working together harmoniously at the State and Local Governments levels for the progress and development of the State.
● Although the situation was similar in Rivers State, the outcome is regrettably different.
● Barr. Nyesom Wike as outgoing governor bought PDP nomination forms for Gov. Fubara and all PDP candidates who contested and won the 2023 State and National Assembly elections in the State, and ensured they all won, apart from the Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 1 and Okrika / Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency which were won by the Labour Party and APC respectively.
● Sadly, when disagreement ensued between Gov. Fubara and Wike after 5 months of Fubara’s emergence, instead of standing on the side of reconcilliation as was done in Bayelsa, 27 out of the 32 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including the Speaker decided to protect Wike’s ego and insatiable love for power and “full” control of State resources over State interest; hence they commenced impeachment proceedings, defected to the APC (later denied their defection) and embarked on several disrespectful and sabotaging actions against Gov. Fubara and his people oriented policies.
● Majority of National Assembly members from Rivers State also joined the State legislators to place the personal interest of their “godfather” above the safety and well-being of Rivers people. In most cases described Wike as the “God Almighty” himself.
● Over 80% of Gov. Fubara’s Executive Council members who were chosen by Wike also joined the charade, and tendered their resignation letters to express their discontent over the governor’s disagreement with their “godfather”.
● The most pathetic part of it was the actions of some Kings, Chiefs and Elders of Rivers State who instead of playing their fatherly roles and protecting the State from crises, made press statements to condemn Gov. Fubara and requested that he tendered an unreserved apology. Thereafter, they proceeded to Wike’s residence (as seen in a viral video) to singing solidarity songs to President Tinubu as a way of attracting his sympathy and painting Gov. Fubara as his enemy to get what they eventually got.
● While Sen. Dickson and Gov. Diri exhibited civility and love for the peace, progress and development of their State, Barr. Wike rejected all attempts for reconcilliation, and made it clear that the peace and progress of the State can only be achieved when he takes full control of the politics and resources of the State with his usual quote of “heaven will fall if I don’t get what I want.”
● Meanwhile, in the heat of the escalated political crises, Gov. Fubara maintained his willingness for peace and reconcilliation, retained political appointees of his administration who were loyal to Wike, and also didn’t tamper with the tenures of the former pro-Wike LGA. Chairmen, even when a good number of them were publicly disparaging him.
● Today, Wike seem to have gotten what he wanted at the expense of the collective well-being of Rivers people; with a total stranger as the Military Administrator of the State, with all ongoing projects on standstill and no new ones for the past 5 months. Instead, the State’s resources are been frittered away to “Abuja political leaders” who made the emergency rule possible.
● For the past 26 years, political leaders have kept Rivers State as a state with the richest political class and poorest population; with wonderful but moribund Federal projects with NO HOPE of revamping, even with the massive employment/empowerment opportunities they would have provided if revamped. A State that is blessed with massive oil and gas resources has exploration companies employing more outsiders at the top positions and having their headquarters outside, while political leaders of the state are more interested in their pockets.
● According to Paul Valery, “The best way to make your dream come through is to wake up.”
● This review/comparison serves as a wake-up call on all political gladiators in Rivers State to have a rethink and possibly tow the lines of their Bayelsa contemporaries who prioritize the good of the people because what we put out into the world will ultimately come back to redeem or haunt us.
Egberifa
~ Robertson Jack writes from the Old Port Harcourt Township.