The ‘Bromance’ With Tinubu Continues As Wike Rolls Out The Red Carpet

Over two days last week, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State played host to the president elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in ceremonies that had all the trappings of a presidential visit. First, ahead of the visit, which took place on Wednesday May 3rd, Governor Wike in a state broadcast declared a public holiday to enable citizens receive the president elect. It was an unprecedented action because no such holiday had been declared in the state to receive even the president, who was invited to inaugurate some projects early this year. In addition, the governor ordered all shops along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where the project was to be inaugurated, shut.

Tinubu’s visit was to inaugurate the newly built Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex, PortHarcourt. But it was clear that the subtext was to show in graphic terms the close relationship between Wike and Tinubu, especially after the presidential election, which showed Wike swinging the state for the APC candidate.

In his broadcast to the people on Tuesday, May 2nd, Wike said of the visit: “For us, it is an honour to the people of Rivers State and the government to host the President-Elect on this historic visit. Consequently, I urge all Rivers citizens to come out en masse to receive His Excellency Senator Bola Tinubu and display the traditional Rivers hospitality as he commissions these legacy projects to God’s glory and the advancement of the state development. Given this, I hereby declare Wednesday, 3rd of May 2023, a public holiday to enable the people of Rivers State to receive our President-Elect rousingly. Furthermore, all shops and business premises along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State shall remain closed from 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 3rd May 2023. I urge all labour unions and security agencies to comply with this closure order.”

When Tinubu finally arrived on Wednesday in his private jet and touched down at the International Airport Omagwa near Port Harcourt, the air was electric. Wike, members of his cabinet and his supporters thronged the tarmac area to welcome the APC chieftain. What was conspicuously missing was the presence of any ranking member of the APC, Tinubu’s party. Wike is a member of the PDP but played anti-party campaign against his party’s candidate in favour of Tinubu. Since then speculations have been rife that he is billed to play a role in the next federal administration under President Tinubu, who may have given an indication to this effect during the visit, which spanned two days and included a state gala. He noted that with Wike’s accomplishments in the state, Nigeria would need the outgoing Rivers governor in higher capacities. Wike has been mentioned as a possible member of Tinubu’s cabinet, with some speculation that he may get the Works Ministry based on his work in Rivers State.

It was a time when the two, like political lovebirds, spoke of their appealing qualities and their political bromance as it were. While speaking at the inauguration of the flyover, Tinubu said: “I see a man of principle. He (Mr Wike) took a principled stand that the Presidency must return to the South and he has the courage to stand by his conviction not minding whose ox is gored.

“He is indeed a man of great integrity; he did not choose to serve his own interest, not about him. Rather, the interest of the nation. You promoted unity, you promoted fairness, you championed justice. Thank you. Nyesom, I say thank you for your contribution to my victory. I couldn’t have done it without some structural support.”

For Wike, he said his support for Tinubu was based on principles and his capacity as a performer. But he added that: “The battle you have now is governance. What Nigerians want is good governance. And if we want good governance, then we must rally round the President-elect, because if he does not work, everybody will suffer. We will still continue to cry. What we need now is to say Mr. President-elect, we want to support you to better the lives of Nigerians.” Playing the counselor, Wike advised those around Tinubu and Nigerians: “It is not to begin to set trap on how Mr. President elect will fail. If he fails, you have failed. So, we owe it a duty to give him support, and that support should start from the leadership of National Assembly, give him that support.”

“All of you have come here, members of the House of Representatives and Senators. Check yourself. Are you going to work for the interest of Nigeria? If you’re going to work for the interest of Nigeria, then give him support so that you will not have a crisis from the beginning. Particularly, you people in the ruling party. I’m not in your party.”

On the fight by the PDP G5 Governors which was seen as an anti-party campaign, Wike pushed back that it was in the national interest.  “It is only those who don’t know what to do, who are confused. We have never been confused from day one. We didn’t do anti-party, we supported the unity of Nigeria which is more important than any political party. Those who did anti-party are those who violated the provision of the constitution of their party. They did anti-party. We said we must respect and obey the constitution of our party, we cannot be held for anti-party.”

Beyond the backslapping, Tinubu said the invitation to him to inaugurate the projects “is another way of building bridges, which cannot be overstated in Nigeria. It is on the strength of your character that I stand to fulfill the promise I made to you during the campaign.” He stated that he will run an administration that will be inclusive and will not discriminate against any part of the country, to applause from his audience.

As Wike soaked up all the goodwill messages, commendations and camaraderie from his APC visitors, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, the outgoing governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, and his G5 comrade, the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, it looked like an epiphany moment for a man who has successfully written his name into the good books of the incoming administration. Yet, the whole convivial atmosphere was taking a bad turn when press reports interpreted Tinubu’s comments on Wike’s request for payment for federal government roads done by his administration.

Wike had said at the flyover inauguration: “The governor-elect is here. As I leave office, I will sign all that is required and he will simply pass the papers to you. That will be one of the first things you do when you are sworn in as president on May 29.” It could have been Wike’s tone, one of entitlement, that set off Tinubu’s reaction or, indeed, his position that states should not have a sense of entitlement for federal roads constructed.

In reaction, the president elect said: “The demand you made for refund, I owe you nothing, it’s your road. You are the one living on this road. I commend your effort, and you have to lobby me to collect. Nyesom, as you make people create excitement and development across this state, we have something to look forward to for Nigeria. You and I will discuss that, not expected debt.” With what seems like a rebuff of Wike making the rounds, Tinubu made some retraction later, when he said his statement was made in the context that he is not yet the president.

“Whatever you say about owing or not owing, I’m very grateful to the man (Wike) who brought me here. He didn’t ask for personal commitment. He asked for a policy commitment that an incoming president has no authority to offer and approve. There can only be one President at a time. I cannot commit to expenditure on behalf of the outgoing President when my tenure has not started. Get educated, be informed, please.”

Wike’s bill for work done is a long list that has left the Rivers State treasury short of several billions of naira because they are mainly federal government projects the state took upon itself to do so as to ensure that the people do not suffer, according to the governor. “These projects are FG’s roads. We don’t want our people to suffer. I believe the Federal Government should say ‘let us refund these monies. I assure you, as you enter office and approve to pay these monies back, other states will also do the same thing. So that (refund) is the first request we are making to you.”

The visit ended on Thursday May 4th but it is certain that the relationship between both men has only just begun. This is because, very clearly, Wike is Tinubu’s political ally in Rivers State and he will need to nurture that as he takes up the presidency. As if to make that point, Tinubu reconciled Wike and Magnus Abe on Thursday just before he left Port Harcourt. Abe, who was the governorship candidate of the SDP, was in a faction of the APC loyal to Tinubu before he left the party.

Analysts believe that his comments as to his loyalty to the PDP notwithstanding, Wike may defect to the APC and form the nucleus of the party there with the expected exit of the dominant Rotimi Amaechi group. It was instructive that the APC in Rivers State was not invited to any of the occasions, a point stated by the party’s governorship candidate Tonye Cole in an interview with a TV station.