The news of the defection of Ifeanyi Okowa, a former governor of Delta State; his successor, and some other prominent members of the Delta State PDP to the APC is understood to have rattled the Wike’s camp.
This is due to speculation about how President Tinubu intends to use the newly converted former Delta State Governor at the expense of Nyesom Wike come 2027. There have been reports of President Tinubu engaging with the South-South and South-East political leaders. This is to strengthen the places he was weak during the 2023 presidential poll.
On the issue of the two Niger-Delta brothers who are now Tinubu’s supporters, recall that Wike and Okowa were never pals from their days of being the governors of their state. Their dispute resulted from the internal crisis of the PDP and cold war they maintained throughout their governorship administration in their respective states.
Wike-Okowa crisis reached its stalemate when PDP rounded off its presidential primary election in June 2022. The FCT minister was announced as the person with the second highest vote after the flag bearer, Atiku.
However, instead of declaring him Atiku’s running mate, the party set up a committee to come up with a running mate for Atiku. During the deliberation, Wike still emerged the winner of the vacant position, but Abubakar Atiku chose Okowa over Wike.
While the former River State called out Atiku for his dishonesty, Okowa acknowledged the situation. However, Okowa also claimed that it has been resolved internally within the party. An attempt to repair the damage came towards the end of the year at the South-South zonal meeting of the party. The meeting was a meeting of governors and governorship aspirants.
Despite all these, Nyesom Wike is known for his controversies and getting back at those who wronged him. While he may not have taken a swipe at the former Delta State governor, they can not be considered friends.
Also, it is a known fact that Wike’s position as the FCT minister is a payment for his endorsement of President Tinubu during the 2023 polls. Prior to the PDP’s primary saga, Wike and Okowa had never been best of friends. Wike has always been distanced from the ex-Delta State Governor.
Currently, President Tinubu is forming allies in both the South-East and South-South to better his lot for his re-election. This begs the question: what would become the FCT Minister’s position?
Recall that even with the cold war between the two, Wike was among the first person to eulogize Okowa, his successor, and others for publicly endorsing President Tinubu and shifting camp to the APC. He noted that their support for the presidency was a pointer to the president’s excellent governance and commitment to the country’s growth. Wike also urged others to join the moving train of renewed hope.
Meanwhile, as he praised them, Wike further added that just like he supported the president during the 2023 polls to enhance national unity and better position the people of Rivers State to enjoy benefits from federal programs and initiatives, so will be the benefit of anyone who camps under the presidency. Additionally, the FCT minister also asserted that Okowa shifting camp to support Tinubu has finally vindicated him of the accusation leveled against him by the PDP after the events of the 2023 election and subsequent allegations of him being a spy for President Tinubu, as he is one of his boldest supporters.
It is said that marketing is a game of numbers, so is politics; however, politics is also a game of excellent strategy. Recall that the presidency had a closed-door meeting with Governor Fubara. After the meeting, an aide to the presidency revealed that Fubara’s suspension would end earlier than anticipated, and also, that the suspended governor may make some compromise. Rumours have it that more South-South leaders will decamp to the APC to side with Tinubu, and this includes Fubara. It is a strategy the FCt minister isn’t comfortable with. For him, it will mean that his power in the South as the acclaimed mouth of the Southerners has diminished. It will also means that he wouldn’t be the loudest southern supporter of President Tinubu. He may become invisible before the first tenure comes to an end. This would deprive him of his position to slightly brag about his stand as one of Tinubu’s biggest supporters and, by extension, those who made Tinubu what he has become today.
While that may be the case, it is worth noting that on the president’s plate, he would have a variety of options which would reduce Wike’s hold on him. Okowa, for one, could become his next loudest supporter, just to gain favours from the president, as he has earlier noted that his endorsement of Tinubu enables him to position his people to benefit from the federal government. Also, Tinubu won’t have to worry about keeping to any other promises made to Wike in the past as he would become replaceable. In addition to that, he would get the support of the South to further spite the North, whom he had already riled up.
On the other hand, Fubara, who has tasted the President’s anger ,would be willing to do anything to be in his good book. He may go as far as willing to deliver his state to Tinubu. This may also help his re-election as he would be on the same page with presidency and by extension, his estranged godfather and guarantee him of a peaceful second tenure as the lawmakers would be on the same page with him.
By the way, while he plays that card with Wike, Tinubu would also have the opportunity of dealing lesser cards with no strings attached to other South-South leaders. That way, Tinubu gets the support of the South, properly ignore the North who thinks he can’t come back for second term without them.
Also, this may cause his former ‘friend” El-Rufia to defect back for the party. All round, it becomes a win-win situation for the president without any loyalty to anyone or any group. Finally for the future of APC, in the absence of its founding members, it would wax stronger and may be become the power party PDP would have been if they hadn’t lost the federal seat in 2015.
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