For Tinubu, it might be too late
We continue to observe the developments in Rivers State with keen interest and a deep sense of concern.
The silence of President Tinubu is very loud.
Bola Tinubu, no doubt, is a key-behind the scenes participant.
Many wonder why Tinubu has not called Wike to order by telling him to hands off Rivers State political structure and focus on his job as Minister of FCT.
Many more wonder why Tinubu has not sacked Wike so that Wike can focus on the politics of Rivers State.
The answer is not clear.
My speculation is that it is about 2027.
Tinubu knows that he needs Wike to maintain the political structure in Rivers State for his benefit in 2027.
Tinubu also needs Wike to perform the APC Rivers State presidential election hijack in FCT in 2027.
It is for the above reasons that Tinubu and Wike are inseparable today, in my speculative opinion.
But the cost of this Tinubu political chess game in Rivers State exceed the benefits.
On the surface, the battle is between Fubara and Wike and it is a struggle for political power.
However, the war could easily become upland vs riverine, or Ijaw vs Ikwerre.
One clear casualty today is that this battle has divided the Ikwerres, resulting in Ikwerre vs Ikwerre. This is where we must be very careful as we remember the issues that led to the death of “Ogoni 5” in Ogoni vs Ogoni.
We also remember the SW Akintola vs Awolowo in “Operation Wetie”.
We must tread with caution.
Tinubu must tread with caution.
Tinubu must love Nigeria more than his political ambitions or political dynasty.
We need to remind our politicians that those that ride on the back of a tiger end up in the belly of a tiger.
A good example of tiger-riding is Boko Haram and the original sponsors of Boko Haram.
I want to remind President Tinubu of a story about the Elephant vs the Hippopotamus in what is titled “*For the monkey, it was too late…”
A story is told of a Monkey who clapped its hands as it watched the Elephant and Hippopotamus engaged in an electoral contest.
One of the legs of the Hippo was eventually broken.
The hippo was taken to a Native Doctor who after diagnosis said he will need veins of a Monkey to prepare the medicine to fix the leg of the hippo which is now a K-keg.
When the Monkey was caught and told the reason, it sadly said, “*I would have reconciled them if I had known that the conflict would eventually consume me.*
For the monkey, It was too late for Monkey.
We hope it will not be too late for Tinubu.
We hope it will not be too late for Nigeria.
Olufemi Adegbulugbe, Secretary General, Federalist Majority (Abuja & Washington DC) 11 Oct 2024.
