Wike Is Now Seen as the Dominant Force in Rivers Politics, Says Rufai Oseni

Rufai Oseni, the anchor of Arise Television’s Morning Show, said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has become the dominant force in Rivers State politics.

The comment followed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary.

Speaking on the program on Thursday, Oseni described the state’s political situation as a “shame on democracy,” alleging that one individual now wields influence across two political parties.

He said the development revealed the reasons behind Wike’s choice of Fubara as governor in 2023.

Oseni also questioned Fubara’s move to the APC, saying it had not produced the political consolidation he might have expected.

The broadcaster claimed that Wike now appears able to control political structures across party lines, insisting that the former Rivers governor has become the deciding force in determining who will emerge as the next governor of the state.

Oseni warned that allowing one individual to wield overwhelming influence could threaten democratic development and questioned the sustainability of such dominance.

Oseni said:

“As regards Rivers, what do I say? It’s a shame on our democracy. Rivers has become two-factor authentication.”

“A man has the right of collabo, two political parties joined together, and the man feels like he’s God today.”

“Anyway, for Fubara, you have now seen the reason why he picked Fubara.”

“If you expect me to come and explain it to you, I will not do that, because the Yorubas have been saying that it is with parables that they beat their ‘gidigbo’ drum. It is those that have sense that will understand it, and it has shown what Fubara is all about.”

“You quickly went to join the APC, you couldn’t get consolidation there. So look at you today. Now they’ve brought Chinda but let us also watch. Are we going to have another battle royal between Wike and Chinda.”

“Will Wike be able to hold Chinda’s hands and keep it properly? Because what we are seeing increasingly is that Wike has dominated Rivers politics, take it or leave it.”

“He’s becoming the de facto god of Rivers politics, or if not the… I don’t need to use the word de facto; he’s become the god, if he can control two political parties and everybody is moving with him.”

“So we’ll see. Whatever pans out, Wike will be the one to produce the next governor. But how sustainable will this hegemony be? That’s going to be the true test of our democracy. We can keep deceiving ourselves and think it’s a good thing, but it’s not a good thing for our democracy that one man takes it all, because we have seen what happened in Lagos.”

“Lagos might soon become Rivers if this is allowed to continue, and that’s why we should tell ourselves the hard truth at every point in time.”