The battle of wits in the Rivers PDP has finally dealt a blow on the
supervising Minister for Education, Nyeso Wike as he and his men wept
uncontrollably on Tuesday night when the Minister broke the news that he
has been asked to drop his governorship ambition by the powers that be.
According
to Prince Chidi Weli the Spokesperson of RIVERS PROGRESSIVE FORUM, “it
was not clear on what eventually led to this decision by the Presidency
and the PDP to stop Chief Nyesome but unconfirmed reports from a source
who was privy to the meeting said the internal crisis within the state
chapter of the PDP was largely responsible for the Minister’s current
woes.
Wike who was seen as the man responsible for the widening of
gaps between the Presidency and the Rivers State Governor had hijacked
the Party machinery from Gov. Amaechi who had trusted him with the
political aspect of his government was shocked when the state Party
Chairman, G.U. Ake was replaced by Felix Obuah who was never part of the
Congress that voted Ake into office. It was alleged that Goround as he
is popularly called had travelled out of the country two days before the
Congress. But in what looks like a
scene from Nollywood, Obuah, a close
ally of Ake was the willing tool in the hands of Wike and Prince Uche
Secondus to nail Amaechi at all cost.
It was gathered that Ake
actually won the election but resumed duty at the State Party Secreariat
without a Certificate of Return from the National Secreariat of the
Party. That thud afforded these men the opportunity to append Obuah’s
name on the Certificate which they presented in Court. Surprisingly, the
Court refused to admit a video evidence of the Congress tendered by
Ake’s counsel. INEC officials were not left out in this conspiracy.
At
the end, Ake lost out to a man who did not even pick a nomination form
and was not part of the Congress. As Ake lost, so did Amaechi.
The
stage was then set for the frustration of Amaechi out of the Pary. Wike
did not stop to show his disdain for his former boss and ally. He became
the hatchet man for the job of pulling Anaechi down in defence of his
new found boss, President Jonathan.
He was given a free hand to run
the Ministry of Education, after the unceremonious exit of the Minister.
Choice contracts were awarded to cronies and supporters even at tge
expense of poor quality jobs. In some cases, it was alleged that the
jobs were not executed but payments were made.
The failed attempt to
impeach Amaechi also proved another opportunity for millions of naira to
exchange hands. While the siege on Rivers state lasted with the alleged
support of the First Lady, the President kept mum.
But Wike may have
bitten more than he could chew when his crony, Obuah publicly announced
Wike’s ambition to succeed Amaechi. Using the GDI, he hijacked the
party structure while he trasversed the nooks and crannies of the state.
He moved unchallenged until Elemchukwu Ogbowu dared him. Ogbowu said it
was morally wrong for Wike, an Ikwerre man to succeed his kinsman,
Amaechi. The former lawmaker said the proper thing was for power to
shift to the Riverine people of Kalabari or to the Upland people of
Ogoni.
That audacity to challenge Wike and Obuah incurred a
suspension and later an expulsion hammer on Ogbowu and a few others with
him. But Ogbowu was not done yet as he galvanised the support of those
who were against the plot to enthrone Wike and together they petitioned
the NWC of the PDP led by Adamu Muazu.
The pressure was on Wike to
recall the men and drop his ambition, but as it is said, whom the gods
want to kill, they first make mad; Wike would not bulge, rather he went
ahead to sponsor his crony, Chukwuemeka Aaron to obtain a suspicious
Court order restraining the PDP National from dissolving or changing the
Rivers Exco led by Obuah. This was a move aimed at stopping the Party
from changing the Exco during the forthcoming mini – convention of the
party in July.
Unknown to Wike, that was his death nail as that action angered the Party leadership as well as the President.
Last
week, he was asked to vacate the Order but he chose to ‘fight back’,
more so when he had spent so much in pursuing his ambition.
Now, it
is obvious that he would be dropped from the Federal Executive Council,
having tendered his resignation notice; it is just enough reason for him
and his foot soldiers to weep.
Our source also gathered that the
meeting which lasted into the wee hours of the morning were
brainstorming on how best to break the news to the public. The group
agreed that a Press Statement would be issued claiming that the Minister
never had any such ambition.
Prince Chidi Weli
Publicity Secretary, Rivers Progressive Forum
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