TINUBU'S PRESIDENCY: WIKE AND WHAT SOUTH EAST APC LEADERS SHOULDN'T WAIT TO BE TOLD

By Sam Onwuemeodo

I have chosen to begin with  Nyesom Wike, the Rivers State Governor. And for obvious reasons.  

The previous week, the President-elect,  Senator Bola Tinubu was in Portharcourt,   Rivers State. He was there on the invitation of  Wike. He was invited  to commission projects. And he did.

 ln  doing that,  he was quoted to have said that,  he owed Wike  nothing.  And some people  began to celebrate that. Some people  believed that. They took Tinubu's comment to the bank. They went home with it. And l hasten  to say this.

 lf  there's one Nigerian Tinubu owes a lot, that's Wike.  Nyesom Wike.  Aside keeping his Party, PDP, and it's candidate,  Atiku Abubakar on their toes all through,  he delivered Rivers State to Tinubu and his APC.  I am talking about the INEC declared  results for Rivers . INEC's own results.  

Wike,  a pdp governor,  ensured that  APC or Tinubu  was declared winner  in his State. ln Wike's Rivers, Tinubu got 231, 591 votes. His own party,  PDP,  got 88, 468 votes and the Labour Party,  175, 071 votes. lf there's  one man who has a lot of claims to make in Tinubu's presidency,  that man is Wike. There is nothing he wants in BAT's government that he would not  get. Don't believe me.  But mark my words.  He destroyed PDP for Tinubu to navigate. So, paying Wike's Rivers,  the money spent on federal projects in the State would be one of the easiest things Tinubu would do as President. 

Unlike Wike , those who should be worried about the direction  Tinubu's  presidency will be going are the leaders of the APC in the South East. Already,  Tinubu's body language isn't encouraging.  I am not writing that they should believe me , but letting them know the fate that awaits them in BAT's Presidency. Like l said,  they should not wait to be told that Tinubu and his Presidency won't  have anything tangible  in store for them.

For Tinubu,  his Presidency  and his close associates , all the leaders of APC in the South East are OBIDIENTS. This is the mindset of Tinubu and his own emerging  cabal. lt's written all over them. And there seems to be  nothing anybody can do to help the situation. 

The only prayer point left for APC leaders in the South East is that , the election of Tinubu should be annulled or be  nullified by the Tribunal. But  if the Tribunal confirms or authenticates his election,  then, there is every reason to worry by APC leaders in the South East. Some of them, going to the Defence House and taking photographs with him, won't change anything. 

Tinubu didn't hide his disdain for the  South East. He began early enough to show that.  He first settled for a fellow Muslim as Vice- Presidential candidate, believing that Heaven wouldn't fall. And he was right. Heaven didn't fall. And he  did it,  knowing that the South East could be adjudged  the " soul" of Christianity in Nigeria. l am painting a picture. But see the major issues.

 At a time,  the discussion or the  debate in the APC was that, the South should produce  the Presidential candidate of the Party  and by extension , Muhammadu Buhari's successor,  Ahmed Lawan came on board with a bang. And who were in the forefront of the Lawan's project?. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodinma. And they were overtly  serious about it. They bought Lawan's nomination forms and displayed them for all and sundry to see, on the screens of  national televisions.  l do not know who drafted each other into the Lawan venture. Whether Kalu drafted the lmo Governor or vice versa. 

lf there was a major threat to Tinubu's aspiration for the Presidential ticket of the APC,  it was that Ahmed  Lawan's entry. That man's case.  And our own people were the pilots. The architects. On the TV screens, the  Yobe State Governor,  Mala Buni,  Lawan's own governor was behind. At the back of Kalu and governor Uzodinma. l am still painting a picture. They didn't support Tinubu. They didn't support Rochas Okorocha or Ogbonnaya Onu or Emeka Nwajiuba or David Umahi. But Lawan from the North. Continue reading my lips correctly. 

Then,  the Concensus issue. Lawan was announced the consensus Presidential  candidate of the party by the Abdullahi Adamu led NWC . lf that had worked out  as planned,  Tinubu's ambition would have been submerged or destroyed at that point. His group fought back. l want you to grab something here. Something "ominous". Something not palatable  at all. Something "imirimious". Do you understand?

Then,  the Presidential  primary proper. The South East delegates voted for Lawan, from all indications.  And not Tinubu. Not Okorocha. Not Nwajiuba. Not Onu or Umahi. They went for the Yobe man, Lawan. After Yobe, you get Borno State. l had been there. That was in 2004. l had gone   for the Turbanning of Emir of Damaturu,  Alhaji Shehu Hashimi 11 lbn Umar El-kanemi. The rest became history. 

Ahmed  Lawan for presidency project was the biggest threat  Tinubu's ambition had, before the INEC conducted election. Buhari's cabal also led Nwajiuba  to go to  court , asking that Tinubu should be disqualified and announce him APC candidate. Buhari's deceitful cabal. 

For the February 25, 2023 Presidential election, the leaders of APC in the South East were helpless. Nigerians,  including the South East people,  opted or settled for Peter Obi of the Labour Party. But Tinubu and his  already existing  cabal won't look at it from  that perspective.  They seem to have made up their minds. For them, APC leaders in the zone were all Obidients or  "lPOB".

 ln Anambra, for instance,  APC ( Tinubu), had 5, 111 votes. PDP (Atiku), 9,036 votes. Labour party ( Obi), 584, 621 votes.  ln Ebonyi, APC, 42, 402 votes.  PDP,  13, 503 votes. Labour party, 259, 738 votes. ln Enugu State,  APC, 4, 772 votes.  PDP,  15, 749 votes. Labour Party, 428,640 votes.  ln Abia, APC,  8, 914, PDP,  22, 676 and Labour Party,  327, 095. ln lmo , APC,  66, 406 votes,  PDP,  30, 234 votes and the Labour party,  360, 495 votes. Don't forget. These're Mahmood Yakubu's INEC  declared results. 

Looking  at these figures, one would be forced to agree or believe that the issue is not what anybody thinks should be Tinubu's right actions,  but what will be the case with regard to South East APC leaders in Tinubu's presidency. 

That is the problem with Orji Uzor Kalu and Osita lzunaso's aspirations for the position of  Senate president. Otherwise,  having denied the South East the position of President most patriotic Nigerians had believed should be their turn , and having also denied them  the office of Vice president, the most appropriate thing to do now is to concede the office of  Senate  president to them. But for the reasons l had earlier mentioned,  that has become a tall dream. They would never live to see that happen.

They have gone to South South. Akwa lbom State in Particular. And their choice is Godswill Akpabio. At the primary,  he withdrew for Tinubu. ln the election,  APC had 160, 620 votes.  More than what Tinubu got in the whole of South East. That's the politics behind their choice of Akpabio. They won't tell you this. 

For the South East and APC leaders in the zone in Particular, they should not expect much from Tinubu and his Presidency. No great expectations. Like I had intoned , the politics has begun.  And only those with foresight or " four-sights" would understand better . Would be able to read the handwriting on the wall and interpret it.  MENE,  MENE,  TEKEL,  URPHARSIN. 

There is already a gang up. While the lmo Governor was at "war" with Joe Ajaero of the Nigeria Labour Congress,  NLC, in lmo , the kano State Governor of APC extraction, Alhaji  Ganduje, was rolling out red carpets in kano for the same Ajaero. The same period. And he  gave him the Chieftaincy Title of Sarkin Yakin, meaning,  Workers' warrior. 

Even when Tinubu might  not remember some of these incidents,  those who have his ears would always remind  him of all these. And there is no  difference between him and Buhari in terms of being easy prey in the hands of wicked cabal. Even,  Tinubu's  own cabal  may be worst than Buhari's own cabal.  The signs are everywhere.  l hope you're reading  between the lines. There is " fire in the Soweto". 

This whole thing is also a wake-up call for Governor Uzodinma,  especially in his bid for second tenure . Yes, APC governor.  The  worst opposition to his second term  bid may not come from within,  but from  "without". Outside.  Don't say l told you. Do not quote me. Do not quote Sam. Onwuemeodo. Caveat emptor.  Disclaimer.  l am only guessing. lmagining things.  Which can't be located or situated.  . On your "marks". Ready....go!!!. The expected heat may be imported. External heat. Perhaps,  from the barbeach or zuma rock. Do you understand? 

The Lagos State Government had, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023,   arraigned Eze Ndigbo in Ajao Estate Lagos, Fredrick Nwajagu, on terrorism charges.  And he has been remanded in prison custody. The man was quoted to have said that, if the attacks on the lgbos and their properties in Lagos continue,  he might invite IPOB. That was a conditional statement. He didn't invite IPOB.  But he's  already in prison. And  those who attacked,  killed and maimed lgbos during the elections in Lagos  walked away free and still walking freely . l am still painting a picture. What to expect from BAT's Presidency. 

The Chief of Army Staff , Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya on Friday ,  May 5,  2023, had had reason or reasons to threaten to crack down on  potential threats to Tinubu's inauguration on May 29.

ln doing that,  Gen. Yahaya warned the  "lndigenous People of Biafra , IPOB,  Eastern Security Network, ESN  and other fringe groups not to test the will of the military ". He specifically mentioned IPOB and ESN and described similar groups in other parts of the country as " fringe groups". Are you following?. What to expect. 

Even when  l have never read where IPOB had threatened to frustrate or prevent the inauguration of Tinubu as President on May 29. The man singled out IPOB and ESN, and  left other related groups in other parts of the country. 

That's the nature of the on-going blackmail against the South East and the people of the area. There is nothing to show or believe that Tinubu's presidency would be different from that of " Bubu", with regard to the fate of the South East. 

With the prevailing circumstances and  for Tinubu's presidency,  APC leaders in the South East or the South East people in general,   are all Obidients. Or,  IPOB. Depending on which of the words they would prefer to use at any given time. That's their mindset. That's their belief. Nobody should wait to be told all these. 

Orji Uzor Kalu had thought that,  talking against Obi's Presidential bid  or the corporate aspiration of the South East people to produce the President of the Country this time, would make them to bring him in or take him into confidence or forget his role in the Lawan for President venture.  But he has seen that, that's not the case. They are also  holding him in contempt. He has seen that the sound of bitter kola in the mouth does not reflect the taste. At all. At all, at all.

The only consolation is that,  if the South East people survived Buhari's eight years of negligence and gross disregard,  they would also survive Tinubu and whatever he comes up with. Necessity has always  remained the mother of invention. The earlier this situation is understood,  the better. 

Nevertheless,  we shall continue to clap for Jesus. And there is nothing anybody can do about it.