Root cause analysis of the recent feud between Wike and Amaechi

By Dornubari Kiinee Whilst commenting on the recent war of words between Governor Nyesom Wike and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, it is imperative to do it with an open mind, and look at the root cause critically devoid of political sentiments. Without any intention to bore you with the genesis of the feud between the immediate ex governor and the current governor of Rivers State, because I believe we are pretty much abreast with the nitty-gritty of the subject, but it is important that I briefly remind us of two significant events in the past on the matter in question. In the spirit of peace and for the general interest of the state, Governor Wike’s administration decided to honour Amaechi during Rivers @50 celebrations in 2017, being a former governor of the state.

Amaechi repudiated the award proposal and labelled it “A poisoned chalice”. Shortly after the Supreme Court delivered final verdict on the non inclusion of Rivers APC on the ballots in 2019, Governor Nyesom Wike through a state broadcast held out an olive branch to Amaechi and his camp; to prove his commitment and sincerity towards the gesture, he dropped all charges against two of Amaechi’s close political lieutenants who were standing trial. Still, Amaechi chose his vendetta against the governor over the sociopolitical stability of the state by declining the hand of friendship.

With the aforementioned events, it is clear to any unbiased mind to know whom amongst them wants peace and who wants the quarrel to continue even if the state is suffering from it. Ever since then, Gov. Wike has restrained himself and his political appointees from launching personal attacks on Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, but focus on issues, which is the fact that, APC government at the centre has not done anything for Rivers people despite using our money to bankroll its presidential campaigns in 2014/2015. Prior to this this recent verbal attacks, the last time Gov. Wike went personal with Amaechi was during an interview on AIT with Gbenga Aruleba late last year, it was in response to the vituperative utterances Amaechi directed at him at a political rally organised for the defection of two former Wike’s commissioners.

This time that he gave him epic “clapback” at Aluu, it is also a response to Amaechi’s condescending and denigrating comments on AIT. Yes, Wike doesn’t hesitate to utilise the slightest opportunity he has to tell Rivers people what he has done and what he is doing with their money in the state, and also remind them that APC government at the centre and their local collaborators in the state have not done any thing for Rivers people. He does that a lot, you can’t call that an attack on Amaechi, they are issue-based assertions expected of a politician, especially a smart one like Wike who understands the rudiments of grassroots politicking. He only berated the purported flag-off of FG’s projects in the state, by being cynical about the nature of the rail/port projects and time factor, of which majority of Rivers people believe the points he raised are valids. Instead of Amaechi to give him an issue-based response too, he called him a drunkard on national TV, and you expect Wike not to give him gbas gbos? Then you don’t know Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, perhaps you can ask Oshiomhole or Ganduje, they would tell you better, because they have had their own fair shares of his savage replies.