Wike’s Roughest Week Yet

By Nasir Aminu

During the promotion for the Rumble in the Jungle, Don King offered a blunt truth: “You are only relevant when you are necessary.”

Wike mattered to the Tinubu administration only because he was useful in damaging his own party, the PDP. Any talent he possessed for the positive development of the country was never part of the equation.

Armed with federal levers, the courts, and the security agencies, he had his way for two years. He became accustomed to winning against his political foes to the point that he forgot when to stop.  Yet, as fate would have it, in one week, he was tested, judged, and found wanting.

Much like the ruling party, sections of the media gave him an easy ride. They rushed to his media parleys whenever he called. On many occasions, the client journalists help propagate his opinion by posing questions that allow him to present it. Of course, his messages carry a lot of weight because of his position in the government and the fight he is fighting—against various PDP members.

But it was only this week that he realised what the public thinks of him. Nigerians were only tolerating shenanigans because no one could match his oppressive activities until the last few days.

One event happened during a land dispute in Abuja with Lt Yerima. Unsurprisingly, the media were there to televise his embarrassing outcomes, too.

A young officer, old enough to be Wike’s son, did what politicians had failed to do: he briefly united a weary country by putting Wike in his place. Lt Yerima brought some badly needed laughter. Unity and laughter are something Nigerians have not enjoyed for a while, but this young military man helped bring them back. For a moment, one almost felt tempted to add “national morale” to the job description of the military.

The Naval officer dramatically responded to Wike. The Minister called him “a fool” in front of the media, knowing he was simply fulfilling the duty of a soldier. Yerima refused to be oppressed and rejected Wike’s repeated assertions. Lt Yerima held his ground. He replied calmly: “I’m not a fool, Sir… I’m a commissioned officer… I have integrity.” The altercation went viral mainly because many Nigerians had grown tired of Wike’s conduct.

But it is not only ordinary Nigerians. Wike lost the support of the APC government and the military faster than anyone could think.

The military, the Minister of Defence, and even the police joined in supporting the young man for standing firm. Matawalle stated that Wike acted impulsively by going to meet Lt Yerima. The military chiefs, the CDS and the CNS had told Wike to wait, but he chose to take the law into his own hands. Of course, he is used to getting his until this week. And I would not be surprised if the outcome favoured Wike had this happened under the previous military chiefs, because they were not as effective.

The Defence Headquarters shared a cryptic message on its official social media handle, only hours after the controversy. Observers interpreted it as a subtle response to the incident. The post read: “IT IS AN HONOUR TO SERVE IN THE NIGERIAN MILITARY. UNSHAKEN. UNBENT. UNBROKEN.”

Similarly, the IGP issued a directive to police officers regarding such situations: “Nobody should go and use you to … put down other persons’ buildings in Abuja without a court order.” This implies that the police considered Wike’s actions to be a resort to self-help, rather than lawful. Among notable APC officials, the former Senate President, Ahman Lawal, spoke out against Wike’s actions.

No, this is something Wike imagined would happen. He thought he was still in that position where everything he said would be accepted without question. He misread the room. He is no longer relevant to APC political work.

Speaking of party destruction, the obsessive business that made him a necessary factor for the ruling party, Wike was flawed at every attempt he made to stop the PDP’s 20th national convention. Stopping this convention would mean Wike remains relevant to the incumbent party, as he would help them achieve their desired one-party system in 2027. He failed.

As Wike’s allies obtained a High Court in Abuja ruling against the convention to proceed, the High Court in Oyo State ruled that the PDP convention should go ahead. This was achieved against the run of play by his former G-5 ally, Makinde. To people’s surprise, the elections were held. This would not have happened a few months ago. Law enforcement would have disrupted the event like they do at Wadata Plaza. Those who follow his trajectory will insinuate that the judges he depended on have failed him. The interpretation may stem from the fact that he is not relevant, as he thought he was.

And to add to Wike’s losses, the PDP convention voted to expel Wike and 10 of his supporters. This includes the former party’s Secretary, Anyanwu, former governor Fayose, former legal Adviser, the factional Chairman, and other key officials who sided with his faction. The worrying thing for Wike is that it is Bode George who moved the motion for expulsion. A few months ago, Bode George was working with Wike. And as his relevance diminishes, his base keeps shrinking too.

His faction called for a NEC meeting yesterday to discuss their position. It still surprises me how Wike dares to keep repeating that his political foes should follow the law, even though he hardly does.

But this is not new in Nigerian politics. Politicians treat power as if it has no expiry date, which is why they mostly disappear from the spotlight without warning. Like other politicians, including his contemporaries of former governors, Wike has built his influence on fear, access to power, and the belief that the state would always bend to his will. Once those supports weaken, his stage lights become blurry. What remains is a politician who mistook abuse of power for strategy and media presence for authority. The past week showed that even in Abuja, there are limits.

The hard truth for him is that politics rarely forgives those who overplay their hand. His allies are drifting away, his control on the PDP has collapsed, and the ruling party no longer needs what he offers. And when a politician is no longer useful to his political friends or feared by his rivals, he is no longer relevant—he is politically useless. The country will move on without him, as it has done with many before him.

Culled from Daily Trust of November 19, 2025