Wike, The Destiny Governor

When the electoral
umpire of Nigeria, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), unfolded the time-table for presidential,  governorship, national and state assembly elections, politicians and their followers as well as Nigerians generally were firmly gripped with “Election Fever”, because of the consciousness of Nigerian people in the political equation of their fatherland.
In Rivers State, scores of gubernatorial aspirants signaled their intentions to contest and accordingly bought forms.
It would be recalled that close to 30 aspirants were from the PDP. Of this number, at least 15 were from the Kalabari speaking local government areas sponsored by political fire-eaters, juggernauts, caterpillars and irons.
It would not be easily forgotten that of all the guber-aspirants only Chief Barr Ezenwo Wike had a recognised and acceptable political structure, the “Grassroots Development Initiative” that cuts across the entire Rivers State landscape with impressive followership.
Wike successfully went through the primary election beating all others hands down. So, it came to pass on Saturday 11th April, 2015, the governorship election was held and 18 contestants from various political parties vied for the Brick House of Rivers State.
Prominent among the 18 candidates were Chief Barr Ezenwo Wike of PDP and Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside of APC.
At the end of the polls INEC declared Wike of PDP winner with 89.18 per cent of total votes counted and Peterside of APC with 10.82per cent of total votes counted.
As usual in Nigeria, a country where politicians hardly concede defeat easily except the immediate past President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who conceded defeat to President Buhari, the opposition APC headed for the election tribunal which decided against Wike and PDP. Not satisfied with the election tribunal judgement, Wike and PDP again appealed against the decision of the election tribunal in the Appeal Court.
It is most disappointing that the Appeal Court toed the line of the election tribunal by deciding against PDP and Wike, PDP and Wike still not satisfied with the out-come of both the election tribunal and the Appeal Court judgements, made straight to the court of all the courts in Nigeria, the Supreme Court, with well selected and chosen 6 wise legal luminaries with ability to dissect, probe deeply into the case with matured legal minds and thoughts strictly in the naked eye of the law and periscoping all the judgements of the lower courts with meticulous exactitude.
Interestingly and expectedly, the judgement of the 6-member grand jury by the highest temple of justice in Nigeria was delivered on Wednesday 27th January 2016 which courageously upturned the judgements of both the election tribunal and the Appeal Court, despite internal  and external influence and pressures, thus bringing the governorship tussle of Rivers State to finality in favour of Wike.
By simple calculation, a minimum of 360 gubernatorial candidates from the 36 states of Nigeria might have contested the governorship election on April  11th 2015 for only 36 governors for 36 states.
It obviously stands to reason that only as few as 36 governors would be elected. This goes to re-affirm what the good book says in Matthew 22:14  that “many are called but few are chosen”. The good book also says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that “To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven”. That is to say the governorship tussle has been laid to rest after all the twists, curves, turns and horse-trading that are usually associated with politics.
It would be recalled that since the announcement of the victory of Wike by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, he had extended the olive branch by inviting all politicians and their followers to join the bandwagon of PDP in the true spirit of “no victor no vanquished”.
At last, the storm surrounding the governorship election in Rivers State is over with the prayers of the people. The meek and lowly disposition of Governor Wike, his respect and regard for elders and senior citizens as well as the cream of men and women of God, who had been praying for him moved God to achieve this hard-earned victory for the governor.
Now is the time for Wike, the winning Governor of Rivers State, to settle down to work with his cabinet comprising men and women of egg-heads, who believe in the principle of sincerity, integrity, probity and transparency for the actualisation of the much expected new Rivers Vision.
Arinyedokiari wrote from Port Harcourt.

Tubonimi Arinyedokiari