Since the emergence of Waziri Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state also emerged as a fighter for justice and equity. Since that primary, neither the PDP, Atiku nor Wike has any peace of mind till after the declaration of the election results by INEC. Wike founded and led what came to be known as G5. It’s a group of five rebellious sitting governors of the PDP, whose apparent disagreement with the PDP is nothing but anti-Hausa/Fulani if we critically x-ray the records of their members. They are only using Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP national chairman as a “sacrificial lamb”.
All efforts at addressing the G5 grievances within the PDP proved abortive as they insisted on the resignation of Dr. Ayu as well as Atiku Abubakar committing to a single term of four years. Thus, one wonders what equity is Wike fighting? If Ayu resigns, who would Wike and his co-travelers of G5 anoint as Ayu’s replacement? And whose interest would he be representing? Would Atiku have a say in bringing that person in? if Atiku also accepts the “Mandela” option, who will replace him after the one term? All these are questions that Wike and his G5 never wanted to discuss in public, for obvious reasons.
Interestingly, at the heart of Wike and his G5 justice and equity fight is bigotry towards the North, that is all what their equity and justice was and is. All the G5 members that contested for one elective position or the other were rejected as they happily worked against the election of Atiku and PDP. The G5 members were busy sabotaging Atiku and PDP, but they ignorantly forgot that they are also members of PDP, and were on the ballot paper just as Atiku Abubakar. On the election day, it was not Atiku only that paid dearly, all G5 members that were instigated by Wike paid as well.
What Wike and his G5 wanted to achieve was not achieved. Rather, it was reinforced. As the whole social media was full of northern praises for standing by its bond after the election, that is voting for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, BAT. Looking at the voting pattern, the Niger Delta areas voted for Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and few voted for PDP. The South-east voted massively for Obi, the South-west voted for their home boy – BAT. It was the North that rejected its home boy – Atiku – and massively voted for BAT (except for predominantly Christian areas, which didn’t affect the result).
Recently, Wike was reported by the Blueprint saying “Obi is my hero. If Obi did not contest, power would have gone back to the North. Obi is the hero. He may not have been pronounced the winner, but no problem, the law will take its course. If Obi did not run this election, power would have remained in the North. Whether he is declared winner now or not, history will be on his side, that he fought and fought well.” It seems Wike and his G5 members foolishly forgot that by their actions, they relegated the Deltans and Igbo in the Nigerian presidency scheme for years to come. Thus, the North is saying thank you Wike and G5, because for the next 50 years the presidency will be rotating between the North and South-west only. That is when you and your people will understand the political grave you dug for the South-south and Igbo.
I hope you listened to Joe Igbokwe, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state on Drainage and Water Resources. He said, “Ejike Akunna jisieike, mark my words here: Asiwaju from 2023 to 2031 and another northerner from 2031 to 2039. We will be onlookers because we refused to play politics” (Daily Trust March 11, 2023). By 2039, the presidency will rotate back to the South-west till 2047, when it rotates back to the North. Thus, Wike, G5, and Obidients will be complaining of marginalisation at that time.
So, looking at Wike and his G5, the North is the winner, no matter what. Despite Atiku losing and political power slipping out of the North, which Wike and his G5 made their paramount goal, still Northern Nigeria wins and Wike and G5 are the losers. By 2027, neither Obi nor Wike will dare go close to the presidency under any disguise. And by 2031, the presidency will be heading back to the North for eight years, and back to the South-west.
Wike and G5, especially Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, you kindly need to lay your hands on a viral social media write up by Dan Okojie, titled The Hausa-Fulani Are Not our Mates. The writer said “Northern Nigeria is way smarter, united, politically mature and coherent than the South. Kwankwaso may disagree with Buhari, but he would never get into a war of words with him like Amaechi did with Jonathan in 2015… Buhari and Atiku [both Fulani men] contested the 2019 elections, not a single bullet was fired in the North but over 50 persons were killed in Rivers state alone due to the feud between Amaechi and Wike.” This is to show you guys, North is far way ahead of you in the game of politics as evidently and apparently showed in the PDP presidential primary.
Wike and G5 members are the ones that turned the 2023 election to be about the North, but the North never saw it that way. Going through another viral social media article by Femi Ogunshola, titled Letter to Northerners (Specific to Hausa/Fulani), you will understand what the election is to the North. Ogunshola said, “You have (Hausa/Fulani) exhibited unprecedented honour by keeping to agreement, coming swiftly to rescue Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the jaw of Lion, false prophets, betrayers, cowards, religious bigots. You honestly did prove your mettle.”
Despite Atiku losing the presidency, Ayu is still in charge at the Wadata House, which means Atiku controls the PDP onward to 2027. As usual with PDP, Wike, your days are numbered in PDP. You will be kicked out of the PDP, you will drag your governor (your anointed candidate in Rivers state) and the rest of the state exco to join Labour Party (LP), as APC will not accommodate you for obvious reasons as Atiku refused to pick you as running mate. After that, Amaechi will rejoin the PDP and take control of the party in Rivers state as he did prior to joining the APC. Kicking you out of the PDP will take place despite the kangaroo court order you got against it. Your political life after May 29, 2023, is going to be classically interesting your Excellency! As I told people, severally, the PDP in-fighting will only start after the 2023 general elections and in preparations for the 2027 general elections.
One beauty of the game of democracy is the fact that majority, which translates to numbers, decide the results, no matter whatever direction the elders of majority directed us to go, there we go. Evident to this is the 2023 presidential election result. Both Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and Northern Elders Forum (NEF) guided the North on where to cast our votes. Without their guidance, the region will become chaotic as our neighbours and our votes scattered for nothing. Thanks to their guidance, the North stands as the real majority and the KINGMAKERS in a modern Nigeria.
Wike, you need to study that classical Hausa musician who called PDP “Shegiyar uwa mai kashe yayanta”, meaning, “the stupid mother who kills her children.”
Abdullahi writes from Dallas, Texas, United States via [email protected]
