By Akinjide Aina, Abuja Bureau Chief
This magazine has been informed by sources conversant with the real undercurrents that birthed the March 18th state of emergency rule declared on River State by President Bola Tinubu that it was a deft political move to dilute the FCT Minister and the immediate past Governor of the State, Nyesom Wike’s political influence in the State, cut him to size, and permanently dismantle his ambition to foist a political empire in the South south and South east geopolitical zones.
Though still grateful to the FCT Minister for the role he played in his presidential victory in 2023- allegedly, brazenly switching the clear victory of Labour Party’s Peter Obi to his (Tinubu) and APC’s favour- President Tinubu, this Magazine was informed, was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Wike’s abrasive behaviour, his growing political influence not just in Rivers but also in the South South Region, and his deep pocket.
The President, it was gathered, has started giving a thought to some of his close Aides advice to curtail Wike’s excesses before it gets out of hand. The said Aides, The Source (Magazine) was further told, had told the President that, with his deep pocket, the FCT Minister is aggressively building an impregnable political nest cum empire in the South-south and South-east with the aim of grabbing the 2027 Presidential ticket of his (Wike) party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP to challenge him and was bent on getting his boys in the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike, however, has publicly declared, on a number of occasions, that he would support President Tinubu to the hilt for a second term in office.
“The public may not know this, Fubara supporters may not know this, and Governor Fubara himself may not also probably know this: The state of emergency was the suspended Rivers Governor’s saviour.
“If not for the State of Emergency, the River State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, on the instruction of Wike, would have impeached Fubara within weeks. Amaewhule would then become acting governor for three months after which Wike would either decide to ask him to run for the office of the Governor or to placate the Ijaw, procure a pliant Ijaw candidate to run with him(Amaewhule) as Deputy”, a source familiar with the the FCT’s highwire intrigues to maintain a firm political grip on Rivers told the Magazine.
However, when that Tuesday afternoon intelligence reports of Wike’s political designs against Governor Fubara intelligence got to President Tinubu, fearing unpalatable repercussions, security-wise, of the impeachment of the governor, decided to move fast.
The President there and then decided to immediately thaw the situation, reduce Wike’s political manoeuvres in the State, and save Fubara from humiliation- impeachment. Tinubu immediately, summoned to the Presidential villa, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and the Service Chiefs and informed them of his decision to impose a state of emergency on Rivers that evening.
The lot fell on Senator Akpabio to relay the devastating news to Wike.
Informed a source close to the Pesidency: “Neither Wike nor his Assembly boys saw it coming. Wike did not pre-inform them as he only got to know after the Senate President had a meeting with the President, the President told him his next line of action as concerned Rivers State, sought his nomination for the position of Sole Administrator as the Number Three man in Nigeria and the Leader of the South-south Zone.
“The President then asked the Senate President to go and inform Wike of his intention and the Minister’s bewilderment at the turn of event could be gleaned by his grimace in some of the photos taken during the visit of the Senate President.
“However, to try to massage Wike’s ego and make it seem as if the emergency rule was a win for him, the President’s nation-wide broadcast was slanted to paint Fubara as the aggressor in the Rivers political upheaval”
Meanwhile, despite denying personal political interest in the emergency rule declaration, President Tinubu, the magazine has learnt, will be seeking to formally impose his party, the APC on Rivers as part of the moves to cement political tranquillity on the State.
“To further torpedo Wike’s overbearing political influence in Rivers State and to get Fubara firmly rooted in Rivers political firmament, the suspended Governor, at the end of the six months emergency rule, will be asked to defect to the APC and the Emeka Beke-led Rivers’ APC faction which is sympathetic to his Government will be recognised as the authentic party leadership in the State.
“This way, Fubara will not only become the APC leader in the state but the bluffing 27 Wike Assembly members would be forced to bow to his leadership”, a source revealed.
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