Amaechi “thrust” the hands of Wike to do his wish -By Tife Owolabi

In a power tussle, one will always cancel the other and as we say in our local parlance “iron must bend” meaning if two rods confront each other one will surely twist or break into pieces. 

 The same can be implied in the political landscape of Rivers State which has been marked by a power struggle between two Ikwere brothers, both former confidants and allies turned sworn enemies. 

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Nysemo Wike have been battling for power and dominance in the state, with Amaechi pushing for a power rotation that would shift the balance of influence to the riverine communities.

Despite Amaechi’s attempts to hand-pick a successor for the governorship, Wike has thwarted his efforts, causing a rift between the two of them.

 Recently, Amaechi referred to Wike as a coward and as someone who lacked the courage when he served him as an aide. While this may not be entirely true, Wike did build his political structure under Amaechi’s watch, which he later used to challenge him for power.

After several attempts by Amaechi to pick a suitable candidate for governor from the riverine, Wike has reluctantly given in to his demands by selecting Amaopusenibo Siminalayi Fubara as his successor. This fulfills Amaechi’s wish for a power rotation to the riverine and a shift of influence away from the upland.

While the governor-elect may not be Amaechi’s protege of choice, circumstances have led to his emergence as the next governor of Rivers State. It remains to be seen whether Fubara will be able to unite the state and rise above the political maneuvering that has marked its past or former Minister of Transportation who prefers Mr. Tonye Cole, instead will rather accept this or keep fighting to install his person as the governor of rivers state.