Politics in Nigeria, particularly Rivers State has been fraught with icy relationships: one conflict today, another tomorrow, all more about self-interest than governance. Thus, some of the problems associated with Nyesom Wike’s office constitute the source of his worries and anger, as seen in his reactions when you get his goat. From Rivers, Bayelsa to other States, the storm in Wike’s teacup rages and breaks every barrier in order to safeguard his political interest.

Wike became the first Nigerian politician to belong to two, if not four, political parties simultaneously and controls what he’s christened ‘Rainbow Coalition’, comprising the AA, APC, LP and PDP. His new political style is controversial, symbiotic and janus-faced. Borrowing William Shakespeare’s words, I’ll say Wike ‘…doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about…’ (Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2).

If this is the new, acceptable style in Nigeria’s politics, Wike remains the Founding Father of a new political order. He’s the chief financier of a party he’s fought hard to salvage in difficult times, so he’s decided to support the APC rather than dump the PDP. Whether this decision is good or bad, one knows better two years into President Tinubu’s second tenure when the APC’s plate tectonics begin to shift.

In 2024 shortly after he’d settled in the FCT, conflict arose between him and his protege—Gov. Siminilayi Fubara—over the rightful owner of the oil-rich Rivers. For Wike, possession is the nine tenths of the law, andwhat’s unknown to many is that the Armed Rhinoceros loves Elephant Fubara and is actually fighting Fubara’s prompters i.e., the anti-Wike who want to take control of the state. Blazing storms howled across the state and, swiftly the Fubara government had disappeared, taking months to resurface.

In Bayelsa State, Wike’s anger was confirmed when he’s threatened by those demanding immediate reinstatement of the ousted Fubara. In September 2024 in Edo, the FCT Minister, in his traditional swashbuckling manner, effortlessly delivered the state to the APC. Moreover and very interestingly, the storm that flung Gov. Obaseki out of office literally rose from Wike’s Shanghai-made ceramic teacup, meaning that the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu resonates with Nigerians.

In Oyo State is a gulf between two formerly close friends who are now separated, because one wants to run for president and is trying to reject what he sees as a growing dictatorial tendency, whilst the other is on his high horse,insisting on party leadership control. Hard-headedly, the Oyo State governor, Gov. Seyi Makinde, relying on some magic wand, is daring Wike and able to withstand the storm. In this friendly strife, Wike has kept a weather eye on Makinde whose tenure expires 29 May 2027.

The stab Wike received from Aminu Tambuwal during the 2022 presidential primaries in Abuja may be forgotten in a hurry in Sokoto State but not in Rivers, and the experiences plus the residual, hard feelings got by both men who now avoid each other, is a concern to Wike. Then there’s more to the attitude of Bauchi State Gov. Bala Mohammed than meets the eye. It’s on record that Wike stood by Gov. Bala, whose tenure also expires 29 May 2027, until he disappointed Wike.

The storm is felt in Abuja where residents speak with anger due to land grabbing. There’d been cases of illegal acquisition of government properties before Wike arrived and the FCT was losing its grandeurs until Wike said it’s time sanity was restored. His November 2025 brash brush with Lieutenant A.M Yerima was one of the demonstrations of such sanity.

Government before Wike’s arrival in the FCT had a skeleton in the cupboard, the cupboardwhich the Minister has now prised open by going after Abuja land grabbers and recovering illegally acquired government properties. Wike is against illegality: a mindset that doesn’t let him align with corrupt people. In few months in the FCT as Minister, he’d remitted over 38 billion naira IGR; built roads, halls, hospitals and schools; built Vice-President Shettima a ritzy mansion of 10 billion naira; built homes for Judges; and massively developed Area Councils of Abuja.

During his tenure as governor, Wike was above board and notched a sterling administrative success, blazing the trail with 12 solid flyovers within a short time. Who’sever achieved this feat in Nigeria? Wike would be rich forever if he decided to divert funds meant for 2 flyovers out of the 12 he built in Rivers. It’s very illogical indeed how people criticize Wike and ignore the good things he’s done for Nigeria. President Tinubu lauds Wike, Goodluck Jonathan hailedWike, Dame Patience Jonathan appreciatedWike, Sergeant Awuse adores Wike, KingsleyChinda reveres Wike, Felix Obuah respects Wike, the Late BarinadaMpigi loved Wike,NorthernAlmajirai want Wike.

In my over 33 years in Rivers State, I haven’t seen Wike physically yet I like his leadership style—he proclaims his tigritude by pouncing. Wike is feisty, and so decides to be clean and refuses to sleep whilst on duty, knowing very well that enemies are waiting for him to slip. However, I’m sad that the FCT Minister hasn’t completed the monorail and school projects started by Amaechi. Along Azikwe Road in Port Harcourt, I saw the middle part of the abandoned monorailcave in, begging for renovation. The rural parts of Rivers I’ve visited crave development and groan under the crushing weight of neglect: no electricity at Okaka in Ahoada; Rumuogodo in Emouha; no good roads and affordable housing in Onne despite the huge revenue Onne fetches the FG.

Now that campaigns forthe 2027 general elections have started and Wike is around, storms will definitely morph into cyclones. In Rivers there’ll be Typhoon Wike which will be followed nationally by ‘Hurricane Tinubu’. ButI’m of the opinion that Wikeshould eradicate the canteen culture in the Nigerian police; ban the collection of fees by motor park and house agents; reduce the prices of everything, and end land grabbing in Rivers; work with the NUC to tackle the rot in Rivers’ tertiary institutions; outlaw Rabelaisian exhibition of female photographs at Choba Junction; reconcile with his enemies; and establish Relief and Skill Acquisition Centres in all 23 LGAs where the poor will receive stipends, the sick treatments, the hungry foods and the unemployed get something doing.

In conclusion, Wike was keeping a pussycat as pet until the cat grew into a lion and wanted to devour him. Now he’s got multiple degrees from the university of life and the ‘storm’ in his ‘teacup’ is powerful enough for him to roar to victory in a presidential election—you can’t keep a good man down. I pray that Wike emerge Nigeria’s president because his government will emancipate Nigeria. I pray Peter Obi, Omoyele Sowore and Olu James Omosuleget there too. But these last threeNigerians can only get there if God, who is my preferred candidate, refuses to be Nigeria’s president because of corruption and rigging.

By Aladesohun Sola wrote from Port Harcourt.