Yesterday we wrote that the resignation of Austin Tam-George as the Honourable Comissioner of Information may be a pointer to what is to come.
We had indeed noted that Tam George was more like an ant infested wood.
A few hours after we wrote that piece, Wike struck. He ordered the sack of the entire cabinet.
It is interesting as we write that events within the ruling party and the government of the day in Rivers State are playing out rather too fast. We may not all see or perceive it at this time, but a titanic battle which may shake the foundation of the government led by Governor Nyesom Wike is underway.
Barely after two years in office, the centre can no longer hold, given events that are unfolding.
This would mean that emotions which have been bottled up since Wike came on board are beginning to bust at the seams.
Wike has quarrelled, Â howled at every passing object and abused anything in sight without laying a firm foundation for the good governance of Rivers State.
Among right thinking persons, his utterances and reactions which have become increasingly unbecoming has brought the honour, reputation and integrity of Rivers people to an abysmal level.
The implication is that many Rivers people are beginning to see the consequences of the mistake they made in siding with Wike at very close range.
But Wike is not done yet. Fighting back in a manner that is nasty and brutal is one of his strengths. There can be no better example of who the man Wike is than the sack of men and women who have actively backed him in office.
The action which took members of his administration as well as teeming members of the PDP by surprise is significant for a number of other reasons.
First is the fact that the hurried move was an attempt at some form of damage control.
Wike may deny this and claim that his decision to sack the entire caninet is a product of a plan to inject new blood into his administration.
This is to be expected.
But when properly analysed, Wike sought by the sudden sack of his team of comissioners to prevent others who may wish to exit as Tam George did from further exposing what is – the fact that there is an increasing loss of confidence in his leadership.
Secondly, Wike’s reaction, coming on the heels of Tam George’s action , is proof of what is certainly evidence of his growing panic.
What this means is that Wike’s suspicion of his close allies opens the floodgates for opponents of his administration, including those in the APC, to seize the initiative in order to take down what is left of the facade that he is trying to create, to wit, that his administration is stable.
Above all, what is evident that the future that we all seek as Rivers people is here. What is left is to refuse to be gagged and fooled by an administration which is losing direction by the day.
Our House of Assembly was seen as one of the most progressive in the country. Today, Rivers State has an assembly that has become a shadow of itself.
Yesterday, we had a vibrant civil service and an active Secretariat complex where Rivers people in search of government patronage went about their daily quests and businesses.
Today, the civil service which is the engine room of bureaucracy has become largely moribund on account of the actions and inactions of the serving governor.
There is no doubt from the foregoing that the time has indeed come to act. As Rivers people, we must rise like one man to take back our government.
We must take back the hallmark of our basic freedoms that have been stolen; fight agents of growing retrogression and replace them with people who are challenged to actions by the challenges that confront our people.
Let us arise.
Rivers State is ripe for change and Rivers people, from what is happening in our State at the moment are gearing up for change that they must get. That change expectedly would begin with a clear plan which would say no to Wike. No to insecurity and no to mind bugging impunity.
Rivers people arise!
