By Akanimo Sampson
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has taken on some unnamed governors on the platform of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleging that most of them wear the face of Janus. Janus is a two-faced god in the mythology of ancient Rome.
He did not also spay All Progressives Congress (APC) political potentates from the state for not attracting federal projects to Rivers in spite of their status as a big oil and gas state.
By implications, Wike is unequivocally claiming that some PDP governors play the PDP card in the day and largely APC at night. According to him, “so many PDP govenrors go to see President Muhammadu Buhari (of the APC) in his house in the night. I have never gone and I will not go. I won’t go.
“We are the only state that the Federal Government refused to pay us our money used to execute federal projects because I don’t go to see him in the night and I won’t go. He is not my friend, he is not doing well, but he won in court, should I say that the court did wrong, no.’’
Harping more on the theme of fifth column, the hard-talking Governor Wike said that unlike some of his colleagues who visit President Buhari at night, he made his declaration public because it came from the heart.
He was speaking at the funeral service in honour of the late Madam Blessing Awuse, mother of Onha Sergent Chidi Awuse at the St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Emohua on Thursday. “I am sure all of you are surprised that I congratulated Buhari. Is it not good for me to congratulate him, than to go to his house in the night?
“President Buhari, congratulations, and carry Nigerians along. Unify the country, the country is too divided. I am saying what is right. What I will do, I will do, what I will not do, I will not do’’, the Rivers governor said with no regrets.
However, a fifth column, according to Wikipedia, is any group of people who undermine a larger group from within, usually in favour of an enemy group or nation. The activities of a fifth column can be overt or clandestine. Forces gathered in secret can mobilise openly to assist an external attack. This term is also extended to organised actions by military personnel. Clandestine fifth column activities can involve acts of sabotage, disinformation, or espionage executed within defense lines by secret sympathisers with an external force.
The unrepentant Wike explained that he congratulated President Buhari after the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal confirmed his election because it was better to offer public congratulations than visit the President at night.
The fire-spitting governor said politics is a game of interest, noting that Rivers people in the APC are under obligation to attract federal benefits to the state, adding, “politics is a game of interest. And my only interest is Rivers. Anything that is against the interest of Rivers, I will not agree. These people sold us out, thinking that they are doing Governor Wike. It is the State that you are offending, because I am just one person.’’
While expressing displeasure that the state has key links to President Buhari ‘’yet the East-West Road, the seaports and other federal projects have been completely neglected since 2015’’, he said nothing indicates that the big oil and gas state has prominent APC members working with Buhari.
Governor Wike maintained that Rivers is a Christian state, pointing out that the facts of Rivers being a Christian state will not be changed by negative propaganda and falsehood targeted at his person. He said he never demolished a Mosque as was falsely circulated by some mischief makers.
‘’Rivers is a major oil producing state that deserves major projects from the Federal Government. We produce oil. They should not punish Rivers because of me. I am just one individual. We have not benefited anything from the Federal Government. The only thing we have benefited is the abuse they heap on me.
‘’They turned the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) into a cash cow to sponsor elections against us. Nobody protested that anomaly. Now they want us to protest because someone did not nominate the management of NDDC this time. Since 2015, NDDC has not had its governing board, but nobody protested. I will not be dragged into such protests’’, Governor Wike said.
On the passage of the late Mrs Blessing Awuse, mother of Sergeant Awuse, the governor said she lived a fulfilled life and raised disciplined and trustworthy children. He said that her burial is a celebration of life.
While the chief mourner, Awuse, thanked the governor for his love and friendship, pointing out that the governor always intervene at the most critical time, the Anglican Bishop of Ikwerre Diocese, Rev. Blessing Enyindah, praised the governor for his commitment to the development of the state.
He then urged Governor Wike to continue with his good works, and focus on the people in all his programmes.
