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Between Wike and Obi, who’s lying to Nigerians, who should be dancing?
Compatriots: How many of you watched the video of Nyesom Wike that trended recently, where he was doing his Jagaban dance, the latest introduction into his new found love for a peculiar genre of music, steeped in mockery and derision?
I’m sure many of you must have seen it. What was your reading of that odd spectacle? Of course I saw that the reactions of Nigerians were captured mostly in a groundswell of disgust, outrage and utter horrification, to what many saw as an eyesore.
Now, looking closely at that video that I saw, did you think our brother, Wike is a happy man as he made out? To me the answer is negative! Instead of happiness, I saw a man in deep pain – deep down inside his soul – deeper than anyone could contemplate. That was how I captured it and that is why, instead of conjuring the feeling of outrage, as some of you felt, mine was pity.
There is nothing as salient, significant and prominent as the Tiny Voice – that voice Jesus Christ described in Revelation 3:20 that continues to knock at the heart of the sinner but which the lures of the world keep pushing back. It is the most devastating phenomenon, especially against wrongdoings and wrongdoors.
Did you really believe that Wike would be blind and impervious to those violent scenes in Rivers State during the 2023 general elections – to those bloodied images in Port Harcourt and other places in the state? Did you really think he has forgotten about them or he would be able to forget? Yes, he may not be the one who harmed those people including the NYSC members. Those arguments could be made in his favour. But he was in charge and responsible either directly or vicariously and as it has now turned out a direct beneficiary.
So, the dancing you see couldn’t be anything else than a smokescreen to cover the deep state of unhappiness beneath the apparent show of enjoyment. That tiny voice is the nemesis of every human being. Worse still, it is an adversary to the evil-door – an eternal, mortal enemy that must be suppressed at all cost, but which those who attempt to, no matter how much they tried find the effort to suppress it ending in futility.
Or why do you think criminals are usually high on external substances? They smoke and drink all sorts of things to be high enough to suppress that voice. Yes, that armed robber who kills the child of the woman, who spent 10 years in search of a baby or rapes her while her husband is either crouching somewhere in fear or is compelled to watch the eerie scene, must thereafter empty the proceeds of that evil escapades on hard liquor and drugs. You see them dancing in clubs and pubs ordering everything with reckless abandon in smoke-filled rooms amid skimpy-clad women, but how would you know that the entire show is a façade – a farcical display in their inner struggle for elusive peace.
Yes, Wike did not rob anybody. Nobody saw him with a gun anywhere. He was not even among those men in police uniform, who were captured in several videos in the state carting away ballot boxes. So, nobody could rightly accuse him of such outlandish brigandage outside the fact that it happened under his nose and he was therefore liable one way or the other. But that should be enough for every human with a soul, willy-nilly.
Outside this, I also saw a Wike that is desperately seeking to prove to the world that he is part of the inner cabinet of President Bola Tinubu. Yes, much as he delivered Rivers to the APC as a PDP governor, and has been rewarded for it, it has not made him a Tinubu Boy proper. Everyone knows those that are qualified to wear that tag. He’s still very much an outsider per se.
My reading is therefore that the Jagaban Dance is another smokescreen – another make-belief to hoodwink the uninitiated to think him a crocodile instead of the lizard he really is in the Tinubu camp.
For one, a word from one or two of the true Tinubu Boys could end his show. So, the way to go about it is to make such a video, not only to prove to outsiders that he really belongs, but to further push towards worming himself into the camp and be accepted as part of it.
How successful this turns out, would have to be seen in future. For one, Tinubu is not a fool. He knows a Wike who betrayed the PDP because he lost his presidential bid could also betray anyone including himself if Come, comes to become, as the politicians put it. If he doesn’t know that, then he’s not worth the accolades that come with that name as the wise man of the Nigerian politics.
You may also have listened to the same Wike attacking Peter Obi and calling him a liar. You could feel the bile from the texture of his words. And what was Obi’s sin? He suggested that instead of spending a whopping N15billion for the completion of the official residence of the Vice President in Abuja, it should be used to uplift the condition of suffering Nigerians, especially as he already has a home in the city. That was all!
Now, compatriots, I bid you listen to the two, and determine who is actually lying and has the interest of Nigerians at heart from the statements of the two.
First, hear Obi: “Even as I am still studying the 2024 fiscal budget as presented to the National Assembly last week, I cannot wait as I am compelled to ask what is exactly wrong with us as a country. I ask this question because it is hard for me to understand some of the recent happenings in our nation in these critical times.
“The recent news about a budget provision of N15 billion for the construction of a new residence for the Vice President is both shocking and disheartening, considering the many important challenges facing our nation.
“Just recently, in the Supplementary Budget, the sum of N2.5 billion was included for the renovation of the Vice President’s residence in Abuja, which means that he already has a residence.
“Our health facilities have collapsed, and unemployment is skyrocketing. I am convinced that 99.9% of Nigerians can only dream of living in the current residence of the Vice President. This is the finance needed to develop the much-needed human capital.
“The budget of N5 billion for student loans, which is yet to be disbursed, is only a tiny percentage of the cost of the Vice President’s new home. I am sure the major teaching hospitals in Nsukka, Lagos, Ibadan, and Zaria did not receive this much capital vote in the budget this year.
“Our leaders must therefore stop the recklessness and insensitivity to the plight of the masses. We need leaders who show compassion and are willing to sacrifice for common progress and development. Such compassionate and frugal leaders are critical in our journey to the New Nigeria.”
Wike: “People should commend the administration and not make statements, blackmailing and telling the public lies, just like they told that they won an election when they never won any election.
“Nigerians know those who won elections through the electorate. Nigerians know those who won the election through social media. Let them continue to tell lies.”
“We have taken a decision to make sure that we will do the best for the people, as mandated by President Bola Tinubu. In the policies you make, it may not favour so many people. But what is important is if the generality of people, and not some people who benefit at the detriment of others.
“When you bring a policy that will bring change, so many people will kick against it. The few who benefit will kick against it. But when you are focused, they have no choice but to align themselves with the policies of the government…Let me tell Nigerians: you must commend the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Nigerians forget easily. As the time we came onboard, all the contractors abandoned their work. Today, you can see that all the contactors have returned to site.”
Of course in Nigeria, whenever the opposition camp complains or raises issues against a sitting government, it is because those in the camp are either jealous or in pain over election loss. That is why Wike is telling Obi to congratulate Tinubu today, even with all the current hardship in the country.
The NPN, during their days of landslide victories, similarly dismissed Zik and Awo with the same mantra. Chuba Okadigbo, reeling in the euphoria of the moment, even went as far as describing Zik’s protest as the “ranting of an ant,” the infamous statement he lived to regret long after for the rest of his days on earth.
In recent years, the PDP was no less facetious, dismissing of every complaint in similar manner. In the days of Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years of the locust, every discontent by Nigerians is either read as corruption fighting back, hatred for the President or songs of Wailing Wailers, a la, Femi Adesina, his spokesman.
One thing Wike was right about though, is that Between him and Obi, Nigerians know who is lying. If I may add, Nigerians also know, between him and Obi, who is happy and who is in pain, who sleeps soundly at night and who’s sleep needs to be induced!
Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, seems to find merit in the damning verdict of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), accusing security agencies in Nigeria of complicity in the deluge of terrorist attacks in the country.
Jare Ajayi, National Secretary of the group, in agreeing with the position, posited on Wednesday: “This is because of the strong belief that the nature of terrorism bedeviling Nigeria would not be festering for this long without complicity from some powerful quarters.”
Though he acknowledged the determination of some patriotic operatives and government to stem the tide, he posited how difficult it was to believe that the activities of the terrorists would continue to thrive without active connivance.
Hear him: “With the vows by the President and top security officers, one has the feeling that the government is determined to end terrorism in Nigeria. When President Bola Tinubu appointed General Christopher Musa, (retd), as Minister of Defence, we had a lot of hope that within months, a total stop would be put to terrorism and banditry in the country.
“Unfortunately, there seems to be a spike, rather than reduction. The reason for this could be rooted in sabotage and complicity from within and from without. This tends to buttress the alarm raised by the US Commission.”
Stressing how the organisation been consistently calling the attention of authorities to areas that needed be looked into he maintained that these included politicians, who could be complicit in promoting the urgly situation.
Citing the recent comments by Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, who pointed in the same direction, Ajayi stated that no matter how unpalatable the position of the US body could be: “It is very important not to dismiss it but to use it a beacon with which to comb all areas.”
“Many people doubted us. Some dismissed us. Others predicted confusion, division, and even outright collapse. But you stood firm. You kept faith with the ADC. And today, because of your commitment, our party stands taller, stronger, and more united.”
With these words, David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday’s night showered praises on members for conducting what he considered a flawless presidential primary election to choose its candidate for the 2027 election.
Mark, Senate President from 2007 to 2015, his audience at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, that by the outcome, the party had demonstrated that democracy and political competition could still thrive in Nigeria without crisis or division.
Regardless of the rejection of the result of the exercise by Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), who contested in the exercise, the former Chairman of the National Assembly, was still upbeat about its outcome.
Atiku Abubakar, Vice President between 1999 and 2007, had emerged winner of the process that took place across Nigeria from Monday till Wednesday, when the result was eventually announced.
The declared result showed that the former VP who would be running for the nation’s number one job for a record seven times came tops with Atiku 1,846,370, to Amaechi’s 504,117 and Hayat-Deen’s 177,120. Total votes cast in the election: 2,546,457 in the 3,113,599 tally.
Mark, who officially presented the ADC flag to Atiku as the party’s presidential standard-bearer, was emphatic that the exercise was not merely about producing a presidential candidate but about proving that internal democracy could still function effectively in the country.
Hear him: “Today is not just about announcing a presidential candidate. Today is also about proving a point to Nigeria and to Nigerians. It is about proving that democracy can still work.
“Proving that political competition does not have to become political warfare. That a party can organise itself around principles instead of personalities. This event has shown that in a season of deep national anxiety, a bright future is still possible.”
Stressing that had doubted the party’s ability to conduct a peaceful and credible primary, with some predicting division and collapse within the ADC, he praised members of the Presidential Screening Committee and Presidential Primary Election Committee for what he described as their professionalism and commitment to fairness despite pressure surrounding the exercise.
“In the face of enormous pressure, logistical complexity, and intense national attention, they carried out their responsibilities with courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency. The conduct of the primary has strengthened confidence in the party and its democratic process.
“Their work has strengthened the credibility of this exercise and reinforced the confidence of our members and the Nigerian people in the integrity of the African Democratic Congress.
“It is important to mention that we are the only political party to have three strong aspirants contest for the presidential ticket. This alone makes the ADC unique in its deep commitment to democracy and democratic practices.
“By subjecting themselves to this process, they did not merely contest an election. They strengthened democracy. And despite efforts in some quarters to create uncertainty and tension, they remained committed to this process and to the ideals of this party,” he added.
For Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the first female Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), it was another day of glory, as Alex Otti, Governor of Abia laid out another red carpet for her in lieu of her starling performance in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The university don, was the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was nationally recognised for standing her ground against forces that reportedly tried to skew the process, leading to the emergence of Otti as governor.
Since then, she had received several recognitions including from the governor and other bodies, including her own students at FUTO, who gave her a heroic welcome upon the conclusion of her INEC task – the first and only one to be so accorded in Nigeria.
Wednesday’s recognition came through the naming of the newly inaugurated Umuahia Central Bus Terminal, a multimodal transport facility in the state capital after her, by the governor, who said it was in recognition of her role in that exercise.
Otti, who stressed that the decision was informed by her act of courage, integrity and commitment to truth, said: “This terminal has been named after Professor Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the courageous INEC returning officer who demonstrated unflinching integrity in the discharge of her duties during a high-stakes election assignment here in Abia.”
The governor, while stating that the honour was not limited to don alone but symbolised all individuals who resisted electoral manipulation added: “In 2023, through her courageous disposition of standing firmly by the truth… she reminded us that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results by simply saying no.
“So she’s just a representative of all of you—INEC staff who never bent, party officials who didn’t give in, security agencies… people who said no to intimidation.”
Stressing that the state had moved beyond basic infrastructure delivery to building an integrated transport system, he said: “The days of playing small is over. We shall no longer confine ourselves to the margins.”
He explained that the terminal was designed to accommodate over 340 buses and would improve accessibility, safety and efficiency in urban transport operations, adding that it would be supported by electric bus services, with 20 already in operation, while additional units are expected in phases.
“Services will keep improving as more buses are delivered… and you can tell with accuracy when a particular bus will arrive and depart,” he said.
He urged residents to protect the facility and support government efforts by maintaining order and paying taxes, warning against vandalism, waste disposal violations and other practices that could undermine the project, stressing that offenders would face sanctions.
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