The Case For A N.E.W. Vice President

Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the voluble out-going Governor of oil rich Rivers State, is a man of many parts, and has always put in efforts to build synergy in the Party.

Whatever you may think of the down-to-earth Ikwere man, he is the most out-spoken of the opposition party leaders, and he says it as it is.

A second term Governor of Rivers State, he has tremendously impacted the oil rich city of Port Harcourt, hitherto known for its unbearable traffic and congested high streets.

Today, seven years on, many Nigerians look forward to taking trips to the oil City. Having served as Chairman in the famous Obio-Akpor Local Government Council from 1999 to 2007, Nyesom Wike set his foundation of executive governance which today manifests in the transformation of Rivers State. Enough said.

Nigeria is desperately looking for true leadership and Wike who had a geographical support spread across the south can be a campaign asset against BAT. The PDP and APC have picked their candidates for the 2023 elections, and are now both tasked with choosing the suitable candidates for Vice President. Without prejudice, it is apt to say that the All Progressive Congress, with Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its flag bearer, has a daunting task of picking a northerner as his running mate.

Whichever option BAT chooses, he is in between a rock and a hard place, considering the ethno-religious ramifications in the Nigerian political space today. But for Atiku Abubakar, he has an easy choice.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, AAA,  is quite an experienced politician and administrator. As Vice President for 8years, he commands an enormous profile, being a unifying personality for all, in the Obasanjo government. He was insightful enough in the roles he played in the assembly and management of the Obasanjo crack-team.

This ability to recognize skill and potential puts him in a good place for the selection of his running mate. The touted options are Governors Okowa, Wike and Udom, as well as Emeka Ihedioha, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. Two of them were co-aspirants with AAA, where WIke came a close second place, after Tambuwal’s swinging withdrawal, when it became clear that Wike was on his way to victory. The primaries are over, and with just days left to announce a running mate, AAA is holding numerous consultations with stakeholders.

The four mentioned above are probably all suitably qualified to be running mate to AAA, but two of them stand out and actually fit the role more – Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. In comparison, I will dive to pick Wike. Why? Paramount, in this case, is the fact that Wike came second in the primaries, and was giving AAA a good run for his money, before Tambuwal tumbled the projections. However, let me therefore do a comparative enumeration, which I believe should also be in AAA’s thoughts:

1. Wike is younger and at 58, is certainly more of a stakeholder in the Nigerian project, than any of the others. He has demonstrated this by his vibrant expression of social infrastructure renewal in Rivers State. Most young Nigerians place value on projects and any true leader today knows that ameliorating the suffering of the masses is a foremost goal of governance.

2. Wike is bolder and more determined. The man has never politicized his appointments on the altar of mediocrity and incompetence. It is expected that he will surely complement AAA in this regard.

3. Wike is “richer” in spirit. He has endeared himself even to his enemies, who now believe that Nigeria needs an open, strong and transparent leadership. In his speech at the PDP convention, he neither referred to his achievements nor his intentions if elected, but gave the most poignant and potent speech by any politician, since the era of the trio of Tafawa Balewa, Awolowo and Azikiwe. He noted that “Nigeria’s problem is leadership”. Nigeria needs a crop of leaders who are ready to provide vision for youths to take up national leadership roles, leaders who would always step out of the box believing our national unity is not negotiable. Remember that this is a topic we always shy away from, by dwelling on tangibles. A combo of AAA and Wike will herald a new kind of Presidency in Nigeria – one of exemplary leadership. With such a combination, and the “will” to rescue Nigeria, the AAA Presidency will score As in every facet after 8yrs.

4. Wike (Rivers State) now has about 2m potential votes. He gave Atiku 473,971 in 2019. He will surely deliver 95% this time (don’t even mention Amaechi) and his being nominated will give PDP over 75% of the S/South votes.

5. Wike speaks truth to power… BAT needs a bold opposition and I hardly know of anyone whom Wike has shied away from speaking truth to. PDP is in opposition, and so, a strong voice MUST be heard from the Party. Whether you like Wike’s delivery or not, his content is sacrosanct.

6. Wike will deliver the S/South, being a very friendly governor to the PDP states that were in opposition or lost governorship, like Edo and Cross River. This goodwill is also felt in many states outside his S/South domain. Wike has been most committed to the sustenance of PDP at State and National levels. I have heard from reliable sources that he single-handedly finances/financed the Party’s office property in Abuja.

7. Wike will be loyal to Mr. President and will channel his “energies” towards sustained positive performance. A recent viral video showed him hob-nobbing with some other Governors/leaders, when he suddenly turned around and saw Mr. President (AAA). He literally bowed to his waist level and greeted him in the real “rankadede” style. Wike will be 100% loyal to AAA.

Need I say more? My opinions here do not suggest that Okowa cannot be a VP, it is just important for us to vent publicly, so that Nigeria can put her best foot forward, and not falter again, like it happened from 2015. As you can see, I have hardly hinted at the enormous and unquantifiable capabilities of AAA. That is a full thesis for another day, but it is very important for him to make the right choice today, for a real rescue mission.

Henry Oshiobugie wrote from Benin, Edo State

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