Has Wike finally recovered his ‘structure’ from Fubara?

Going by the truce brokered by President Bola Tinubu, it appears minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has tentatively recovered what he claimed was the structure he handed his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The ‘structure’ is the power lever of Rivers State which Wike held sway for eight years, and seeks to continue with Fubara as proxy. But Fubara, a senior civil servant whom Wike propped up and ensured he succeeded him as governor, appeared to be a man that does not want to be controlled. But Fubara however caved during a truce brokered by Tinubu.

In the eight point’s resolution said to have been agreed after the truce, only one favours Fubara, which is the discontinuation of any impeachment proceedings against the governor. The other seven points clearly favoured Wike. They include; the reinstatement of pro-Wike faction of lawmakers, that Fubara would have to re-present the budget passed by his faction of lawmakers to the Assembly which would be controlled by pro-Wike lawmakers, and also the reinstatement of pro-Wike commissioners and other aides who resigned from Fubara’s cabinet, among other conditions.

But Fubara appears not to have much of a choice during the negotiation given the powerful forces stacked against him at the table. This is because most of the people in the room owed Wike some unpaid debts, starting with Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima. The victory of the duo at the presidential poll was partly attributed to Wike who played a spoiler role against his party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. That spoiler role enabled Tinubu to run away with some votes in otherwise hostile areas, hence, his gratitude to Wike whom he compensated with Minister of FCT.

Fubara has already said no price is too big to be paid for peace to reign. But does he really mean it? Or is he bidding time because in politics, and in a contest with Wike, some prices may be too big to pay.

Who is Wike

Wike, an Ikwerre by tribe from Umuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State, was born on December 13, 1967.

He was educated at Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Wike was elected as a two-term Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area from 1999 to 2007. He was appointed Minister of State for Education on 14 July 2011.

Wike was later appointed the Acting Minister of Education, after Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa’i was sacked. He later resigned before finishing his term to contest for governor of Rivers State.

In 2014, he won the Rivers State People’s Democratic Party primary and chose former Secretary to the State Government Ipalibo Banigo as his running mate for deputy governor.

Wike defeated Dakuku Peterside of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tonye Princewill of the Labour Party in the 11 April, 2015 gubernatorial elections to emerge as governor.