The internal political rivalry that had existed between the Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his kinsman Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike may after all have no end insights.
This is coming on the heels of the fact that the two Rivers State-born Politicians are now vying for the highest political office in Nigeria.
Before the duo engaged each other in the political warfare arena, they have been like political sesame working together for common political agenda. While Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was already the serving Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike was elected Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Governments under Peoples Democratic Party-PDP a situation said to have been reserved for another politician from Obio/ Akpor LGA. The connection with Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi contributing towards making Wike’s Political light shine was said to guarantee Nyesom Ezenwo Wike a second chance in Office.
However, during the 2006 to 2007 electioneering campaign Amaechi having been elected in the PDP Governorship primary election as a candidate for his party then PDP was surreptitiously substituted with his cousin Barrister Celestine Omehia who later was used in conducting the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State as he was subsequently sworn in as Executive Governor of Rivers State on May 29th, 2007. But on October 25th, 2007 Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a landmark judgement which brought back Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the duly elected Executive Governor although he wasn’t in the political campaign train of PDP. More revelling is the fact that while Amaechi was in safe exile in faraway Ghana Nyesom Ezenwo Wike spearheaded all the court processes that brought Amaechi back to Port Harcourt as Rivers State Governor. He led Rivers Solidarity Movement-RSM a political pressure group that supported Amaechi’s mandate as duly elected PDP Governorship candidate for the April 2007 Governorship election.
It’s no longer news how Wike was Director-General of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s second Term Governorship election Campaign in 2011 having been earlier appointed as Chief of Staff to the Governor in 2007.
Meanwhile immediately Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was appointed as Minister of State for Education in 2011, a position Amaechi was said to have first nominated him for but wanted to replace him with Pastor Dr Tonye Cole, Chairman of Sahara Energy Ltd. But the National Assembly rectified Wike as the substantive Minister of State for Education. This is the genesis of the frosty Political enmity between Amaechi and Wike till date.
In the 2015 Rivers State Governorship election Wike reneged the Zoning arrangement that had Riverine Governorship candidate Dr DAKUKU PETERSIDE for APC and took over the party machinery of PDP as he emerged its flagbearer in December 2014 at Nkpolu Orowurokwo Secondary school playground Port Harcourt. Wike defeated Dr Adol Dakuku PETERSIDE in a controversial Governorship election in 2015.
Come May 27th, 2022 Supreme Court of Nigeria will deliver judgement on the trial of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi concerning sales of some choice properties of Rivers State while he was winding up his second term tenure as Governor of Rivers State.
Today, both men of the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality are in the foremost position to emerge as Presidential standard-bearers of their Political parties come next month May 28/29 and 31st, 2022.
The duo are now crisscrossing the nooks and crannies of Nigeria soliciting delegates’ votes for themselves and for their party conventions.
For Amaechi he had on Saturday 9th of April,2022 declared his intention to contest for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Nyesom Ezenwo Wike had done the same with much zeal in far away Makurdi Benue state capital. If the duo finally emerge as Presidential Candidates for their parties, it will surely be a renewal of their Political rivalry now at the national political stage. Already, Wike has challenged Igbos that he’s not of Igbo ethnic group whereas Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that he is of Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria. While Amaechi recently took the traditional title of Dan Amanar of Daura Wike a few years ago took a traditional title from Tiv ethnic group in Benue state. Who knows how the battle would be fought and who will take the final mantle of leadership as the duly elected Executive President of Nigeria come February 25th, 2023 Presidential Election.
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