Nyesom Wike Made Fubara A Governor But Is He A Godfather?

Since leaving office in May 2023, Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been locked in a political feud with his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.

From heated exchanges, the political tension between the two has escalated into chaos, resulting in the loss of lives. The turmoil reached a new high on Monday, October 7, when at least three Local Government council secretariats, including the newly built Ikwerre council, were set ablaze by arsonists.

This outbreak of violence follows the local government elections, where the Action Peoples Party (APP) secured 22 chairmanship seats out of 23 contested positions. Neither the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nor the All Progressives Congress (APC) participated in the election, prompting accusations that Fubara sponsored the APP to consolidate power.

The election outcome is being viewed as a victory for Fubara in his ongoing face-off with Wike.

Also Read: Atiku backs Fubara in feud with Wike, insists LG polls marked end of godfatherism in Rivers

What is the Bone of Contention?

The rift between Wike and Fubara began as early as November 2023—less than six months after Fubara took office. Wike accused the governor of undermining his political structure in the state.

“I am not a political ingrate, but don’t touch the political structure of the state. I will not shut my eyes,” Wike warned.

In a recent interview with Channels TV, Wike dismissed claims that the feud stemmed from financial demands. He said, “Has Fubara ever told you I asked him for money or demanded anything from him? The real issue was his plot to remove the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and it backfired.”

Even as their feud continues to evolve, with the Court of Appeal reinstating Amaewhule as Speaker, Fubara has not downplayed Wike’s role in his rise to power.

“Who is Fubara without Wike?” some observers have asked.

Indeed, in March 2020, Fubara was merely a Permanent Secretary—unlikely to imagine he would become governor in three years. His fortunes changed on December 23, 2020, when Wike appointed him as Rivers State Accountant General. Despite being on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s radar for alleged fraud amounting to nearly half a trillion naira, Fubara clinched the PDP gubernatorial ticket in May 2022 and won the March 2023 election with ease.

Is Wike Fubara’s Godfather?

In the context of Nigeria’s politics, Fubara is Wike’s protégé, one whose status as the Executive Governor of Rivers State would have been almost impossible without the unchallenged access that Wike provided for him.

It is not new. Godfatherism could easily be said to be as old as Nigeria’s politics.

Nigerian politics, dating back to the First Republic, has thrived on the influence of godfathers — powerful individuals, some in politics and others with deep pockets, who mentor, support, and install individuals into political positions to exercise control, often demanding absolute loyalty.

In recent times, particularly in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, godfathers are often politicians who install their cronies — notably individuals vetted to ensure they lack the capacity to rebel — into office when they are leaving power.

In this context, Wike, less than a year after leaving office as Rivers State Governor, is increasingly losing his grip on the state, which many believed he had in his pocket.

He did, at least when he was governor.

In the run-up to the 2023 elections, Wike played a role that was controversial but politically shrewd.

While campaigning for Fubara and using the state’s resources as leverage to secure his victory, Wike simultaneously threw his influence behind Bola Tinubu of the APC.

It was a move that defied political logic — but one that paid off.

In the February 25 presidential election, Tinubu won Rivers State, a result many described as having defied logic. Three weeks later, Fubara, under the PDP platform, secured a landslide victory in the governorship election.

That political masterstroke earned Wike a ministerial position while maintaining his influence in Rivers. Wike took pride in being hailed as the new godfather of Rivers State.

Across the state, his influence was evident, at least while he was still Governor. Described as a “working governor,” Wike completed several mega projects in Port Harcourt, transforming the landscape of the state.

But his reign appears to have been short-lived, or at least nearing its end – a reign so short that many would not ascribe him that Godfather status.

Indeed, Wike’s attempt to retain control in Rivers reflects the ambitions of most ex-governors. From Bukola Saraki of Kwara State to Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, ex-governors often seek to maintain influence, perhaps to shield their controversial dealings while in office, by installing a loyal godson.

However, things don’t always go according to plan. Kwankwaso, for instance, lost influence during the tenure of his successor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, despite later reclaiming relevance with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Similarly, Kalu’s fallout with his successor, Theodore Orji, confined his political influence to Abia North, where he has served as a senator since 2019.

Only a few, like Bola Tinubu, manage to retain control long after leaving office, and can rightly be described as political Godfathers.

Politicians like Tinubu, now the President, have nurtured loyalists over the years — men they groomed and allies who remain faithful. Defying such godfathers often comes at a steep price, as seen in the case of Akinwumi Ambode, whose attempt to break away from Tinubu’s control cost him a second term as Lagos governor and almost ended his political career.

However, unlike Tinubu, Wike’s impatience, desire for quick fixes, and brash demeanor may have contributed to the erosion of his influence in Rivers politics.

This is not to suggest that he no longer has sway in the state or that his loyalists wouldn’t go to great lengths for him.

But there’s a new sheriff in town — one who seems determined to carve out his own path. And despite Fubara’s rise being a direct consequence of Wike’s influence, the governor appears ready to establish his own legacy.