Wike, Ortom, G5 Govs: Urgent Need To Retrace Their Steps By Charles Olisa

I have been watching closely with studied silence the unending outburst, which has been continuously hurled at the PDP Presidential Candidate and Vice Presidential Candidate by the G5 Governors led by His Excellency Nyesom Wike.

Ordinarily, the uninformed will think that they are fighting for a just cause.

However, some of us who are abreast with circumstances that led to Governor Wike’s ascendancy to power from Local government Chairman to Rivers State Governor will naturally see his actions and inactions lately after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential primaries, as that of a bad loser; who is coming to equity without clean hands.

Starting from his days as Chairman of the Obio/Akpor Local government Area in Rivers State. It is common knowledge that Obio, where he comes from will go for only one tenure while Akpor goes for another tenure, but typical of Governor Wike he blatantly breached a gentleman’s agreement and used every unorthodox means to get a second term as Obio/Akpor LGA Chairman against the wish of stakeholders, elders and leaders of the LGA .

Now coming to His Excellency Nyesom Wike becoming the Governor of Rivers State, it is an open secret that Governor Wike breached the zoning policy of Rivers State party and the State Government; because the two previous Rivers State Governors before him to wit; Governor Celestine Omehia and Governor Rotimi Amaechi are from the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality and same Senatorial District (Rivers East Senatorial District).

Governor Wike went against zoning in Rivers State to become a governor, and he never saw anything wrong with him succeeding his brother (Governor Rotimi Amaechi) from the same ethnic stock and Senatorial District.

Arising from the above, it then becomes morally unjustifiable and against all laws of natural justice, equity and good conscience for Governor Wike, who never respected zoning ab Initio to form an alliance with some of his colleagues to join him in his unholy cause.

Furthermore, Governor Samuel Ortom, who had the rare privilege of Chairing the 37-member PDP Presidential Zoning Committee that was widely adjudged very independent with no external interference because of the calibre of people in that committee, who had all the opportunity in the world to micro-zone the Presidency to any zone, against the expectations of Nigerians and party faithful, threw the Presidential ticket open to all zones.

Governor Ortom, who was Chairman PDP Presidential Zoning committee joining forces with Governor Wike to spearhead the G5 Governors alliance opposing the PDP Presidential Candidature of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar is, to say the least very unfortunate and unbecoming of a two-term Governor.

My sincere perception of what His Excellency Wike and G5 Governors are doing at this point in time is that of a very bad loser, who does not have the guts to tell the public how angry and disappointed they are for l Governor Wike losing the Presidential Primaries.

What Governor Wike fails to understand is that politics is a game; you win some, and you lose some.

I, therefore, on behalf of well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy the world over, lend my voice and appeal to Governor Wike and the G5 Governors to listen to the voice of reason and trace their steps; as time is of the essence and critical.

PDP is one big family, and we can’t afford to lose the singular opportunity to restore and salvage Nigeria.

Dr Charles Olisa is a social commentator and political analyst