Wike vs Fubara: Why Rivers Governor may not be lucky like Obaseki, Ganduje

Wike understands what loyalty is all about and would not tolerate 99.9% of it from any of his protégés. It is either 100% or nothing.

He appears to be giving the same vibes to politicians he respects, such as President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking after the hosting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in his office in Abuja, Wike maintained that he was not a political ingrate.

He said: “I am not a political ingrate, I am not — but don’t touch the political structure of Rivers State. I will not shut my eyes.”

Rivers crisis is age-long political struggle of godfatherism

Some political pundits have posited that the reality of politics is that every politician would always pay dues to some who have come before them because no one gets there on their own. It has always been someone pushing you up to get to the top.

However, Rivers state appears to be different as every succeeding governor has tried to be independent of their predecessors.

Chizorom Ofoegbu, a political commentator popularly known as Ijele Speaks, attested to this fact in an interview with Legit.ng. Ofoegbu told Legit.ng: "The Wike/Fubara issue is an age old political power tussle between ex governors and their successors."

Fubara challenges Wike over impeachment notice

On his part, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike's successor, appeared to be enjoying the popular social media support when he came into the public domain to tell the world to ask the state House of Assembly about his offence after he was issued an impeachment notice.

Following the impeachment notice served on the governor, many accusing fingers, including that of an elder statesman and former national coordinator of the South-South Elders Forum, Anabs Sara-Igbe, have been pointed at Wike.

Speaking on the political development in Rivers state, Sara-Igbe accused Wike of intimidating Governor Fubara and warned the minister to concentrate on his affairs in Abuja.

Why Wike might defeat Fubara in Rivers

However, it appears Wike would win the fight against Fubara, unlike other governors who succeeded in fighting their godfathers and maintaining their stands.

This is due to the fact that Wike laid emphasis on the political structure he left in Rivers state and strongly warned anybody against tampering with it. In a veiled message, he warned the governor that impeachment has room in the Nigerian constitution.

He said: "Impeachment is not a military coup; impeachment is provided under the constitution."

Thus, if Wike succeeds in defending the structure he has put in place and gains support against the governor, Fubara's story might not be the same with the likes of Governor Godwin Obaseki versus Adams Oshiomhole and Abdullahi Ganduje and Rabiu Kwankwaso in Edo and Kano states.