Rivers State’s Governor Nyesom Wike has no doubt had a meteoric rise since he
joined politics. From a local government chairman, he became a chief of staff, a minister and currently an outgoing governor rounding off his second term in office.
Hate him or love him, Wike had always strived to make a difference in each of the offices he had held through his performance, swag and utterances.
For instance, since his emergence as the governor of the oil-rich Rivers, Wike has held the state spellbound with his leadership style. In performance, most critics acknowledge that he has transformed Rivers leaving his footprints in all local government areas.
His audacious projects usually televised live during their inaugurations earned him the most prestigious awards on infrastructures compelling President Muhammadu Buhari to bestow on Wike the coveted honours as an outstanding governor on infrastructures.
Coming from the ruling party at the centre to a governor in the main opposition party, Buhari’s award was the icing on the cake for Wike, who exploited it during the recent general election to solicit votes for his party.
Given his peculiar style, Wike has earned himself the title of a political volcano. His brand of politics is deliberately laced with negotiation, consultation and permissible coercion to achieve his desired objectives.
Those who know him understand that if you fail to agree with him politically, you should not be seen to be standing in his way. The Rivers State strongman, it is said, understands the power and deploys it. He has made many idle individuals relevant; he has also retired persons he considers a stumbling block along the way.
Wike proved his mettle and political sagacity recently with the choice of the candidate he supported during the just-concluded presidential election. He read the crystal ball, followed his conviction and led a group of like-minded governors in his opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to reject the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the grounds of equity, justice and fairness.
