The Rivers State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, 8th May 2022, rained curses on members of two Ijaw groups who demanded the release of a federal lawmaker currently detained on the orders of the governor.
It’s noteworthy that Farah Dagogo, a current member of the House of Representatives, representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency of Rivers State, has been in police custody for a couple of weeks now.
He was declared wanted by Mr Wike for allegedly hiring thugs to attack the PDP Secretariat in Rivers State.
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Mr Dagogo, a governorship aspirant of the State, however, refuted the allegation and accused the governor of trying to prevent him from appearing before the party’s gubernatorial screening panel.
The lawmaker was eventually arrested by the Rivers State Police Command the next day after appearing before the PDP panel for screening and was reportedly arraigned before a court in the State. He was thereafter, on the order of the court, remanded in a Correctional Centre in the State.
The Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) and Ijaw National Congress (INC) have demanded the lawmaker’s immediate release. The two groups gave the governor 48 hours to release him.
However, at a church service on Sunday, Mr Wike lashed out at the groups for giving him an ultimatum to set Mr Dagogo free.
Addressing the congregation at a Thanksgiving Service on the aforementioned date held at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Port Harcourt to celebrate the purported legal victory secured at the Supreme Court of Nigeria over the ongoing oil well dispute between Rivers and Imo States, Mr Wike while standing at the altar, invoked thunder to descend on members of the said groups.
He said, “That takes us to where some people say we are Ijaw Youth Congress, we are Ijaw National Congress, threatening the government. You are wasting your time.
“I don’t know why people don’t even know who they are dealing with, me, me, threatening me, 48 hours,” he said, beating his chest with his left hand, apparently to express his anger.
He further ranted, “Instead of you coming to the government, asking what is the problem, what happened, you begin to threaten the government, ultimatum. Thunder fire you and ultimatum.”
In a video clip that went viral on the social media, some congregants could be heard chorusing the Hebrew word – ‘Amen’ over Mr Wike’s ‘prayers’, while the faces of others were overwhelmed with optimum shock.
The IYC, in its reaction, condemned Mr Wike’s outburst, saying it was not only derogatory but inciting.
The spokesperson of the group, Ebilade Ekerete, in a statement, opined that such “unguarded and incendiary” comments from Mr Wike was capable of souring the existing good relationship between the group and Ikwere (Wike’s ethnic group), hence urged the governor’s kinsmen to call him to order.
The group advised Ijaws who are delegates in the PDP presidential primaries not to vote for Mr Wike, stating such action “will be viewed as a betrayal of our heritage”.
“The body regrets that even more shocking is the fact that the Rivers Governor took his unrestrained verbiage to the hallowed pulpit of a church and desecrated the altar of God.
“It equally points out that Governor Wike has forgotten that by calling fire and thunder on the Ijaw nation, his benefactor and our revered leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan, is an illustrious Ijaw son.
“This ‘thunder’ did not fire the former president when, despite all odds, he made him the choice of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Rivers State against the wishes of other competent Ijaw aspirants in the state.
“Now, Jonathan as an Ijaw man is also under fire from Governor Wike. For him, all those that made him, including the people of Rivers State, are in his pocket and can be insulted at will.
“We, therefore, call on our people as a whole to see Governor Wike as an enemy of the Ijaw Nation. We urge Ijaws all over the world to speak against this tyrannical behaviour of Wike,” the statement read in parts.
I have overtime chosen to ignore Mr Wike and his overbearing lifestyle, even as he occupies a highly exalted position as state governor. He had on countless occasions thrown caution to the wind while addressing the public.
I personally have nothing against his political career, or purported future ambition, but strongly detest the way and manner he goes about calling people all sorts of names without minding the position he currently occupies.
Even if Mr Wike was severely pained over the ultimatum given to him by the groups, it didn’t call for such reaction or tantrums from someone in his status, let alone while standing on a pulpit.
Leaders of note are invariably mindful of their utterances in the public sphere. They are always mindful of the nature of the environment or gathering they find themselves in.
I’m not unaware that Mr Wike isn’t sincerely aspiring for Nigeria’s presidential post come 2023, as had severally pointed out in my previous analyses. He’s rather making efforts to create confusion, or distraction, among others who truly possess such desire or ambition.
Nigeria’s prospective leaders really need to go for thorough coaching on public speaking prior to assuming any position, either political or otherwise. This step would go a long way to save them and their allies from any future embarrassment while in office.