Wikeism and its threat to Nigerian democracy

The fixation of philosophical and political thinkers to the suffix-isms is an interesting one. I got my own fixation by reading to my father words having that concluding jargon due to glaucoma that came in later life, God rest his soul.

The suffix is literarily used to convey an ideology, beliefs, thoughts or movement. Today, the most modern and strongest political ideology in the world with that addition in my view is Trumpism. Sadly, Trumpism like the emerging Wikeism portends no good for the future of democracy.

Unlike Donald Trump, Wike cannot be said to be an ignoramus to the nuances of partisan politics and democratic governance having served twice as local government chairman in Rivers State, also served as Chief of Staff in the same state, served as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the centre and was also elected twice as governor of the cosmopolitan Rivers’ people even though his road to the government house, especially on the first leg did not come without controversy. The political rascality of what is now Wikeism would have since been over if not for the Supreme Court judgment that salvaged his political destiny in 2015. There was a widespread rumour after that election that he would not contest in a rerun should the verdict of the lower courts had been affirmed by the apex court.

While the number of votes garnered by Wike in the 2019 governorship election in Rivers might appear saner unlike the 2015, the margin of victory to the runner-up in the latter appeared quite extra-ordinary despite the harsh obstacles put on his path towards that victory. He had by this time been able to work his way into the hearts of his people by delivering what the majority considered at the time as dividend of democracy. Wike clearly was a very fortunate young man that rose quickly after school through the corridors of political power indicative of his ambitious and combative nature.

The political exits from office of both Ameachi and Jonathan respectively gave Wike the impetus to assert himself at the pinnacle of authority of his political party now the opposition party. The sacking of all his commissioners was for me the beginning of Wikeism. These commissioners were considered to be loyal team of support that shielded him from the absence of political cover at the centre. The next significant factors is not as expected in his defeat in the PDP presidential Primaries in 2022, but rather in his supposed passed over for the vice presidential slot of the party which brought out the nastiest side of his brand of political philosophy. With the benefit of hindsight, that may perhaps be a blessing in disguise for not only the PDP but also the country due to the damaging consequences of the politics and influences he has been asserting afterwards. His political dexterity using the same number of governors led out of PDP by Atiku under Jonathan which resulted to the latter’s defeat in 2015 equally led to the downfall of Atiku in the 2023 polls without even the need of leaving the party. Let me add that by the usage of the word dexterity, I do not necessarily mean finesse.

The defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike to the opposition party, the resignation of some key commissioners in the state, and the burning and demolition of the Assembly Complex all happening barely six months after inauguration of the Fubara’s administration further betrayed the kind of garage godfatherism and politics that defines Wikeism as a political brand.

Wike’s overbearing political atrocities are boundless. He is notorious for being a man who says one thing politically and does the exact opposite. Wikeism as far as many political observers are concerned is a toxic brand of politics and influence. It is no surprise that it is only Mr. Wike and the sycophants around him that does not see it as such. Even some members of the ruling party he has been hobnobbing with openly attest to this fact.

Many often discard Wike’s rants on democratic ideals as comment typical of Wike thus failing to appreciate it as the manifestation of Wikeism. Like Joseph Stalin we began to see the emergence of a cult-like personality, all-powerful and all-knowing political figure in the Nigerian political landscape. Governor Wike as he then was, visited the Sultan of Sokoto in a move that tend to suggest to political adversaries his relevance in Nigerian political space and tactically warning those that may dare him that he is a consuming force. Under his administration as governor nobody dared challenge Rivers State without thinking twice.

Government House Port-Harcourt became a fortress where those in search of political emancipation and support thronged to. As stated above, he assembled his own political musketeers in the shape of the so-called G5 which resulted to damaging consequence to their political party without any punitive repercussion from the party till date.

Like Stalin, the FCT minister sees the Rivers people as his children just as Stalin relate with the Soviet populace like a father-figure. Like Stalin, some regarded the former Rivers State governor as rude, impatient and impolite. Interestingly, he resisted the cult of personality in the shape of godfatherism initially but he later became not only comfortable with it but also mastered it just like Stalin. Wike achieved upper hand in many political contest and shenanigans and in the process entrenched the imagery of Godfather to himself just like Stalin. Many twentieth century scholars held the view that Lenin knew the danger of someone like Stalin holding state political powers but lacked just like our current political rulers the knack to resist his ascendency to that very power.

The merger of two godfathers under the authority of one in terms of the partnership between President Tinubu and his minister for the Federal Capital Territory appears intimidating and disturbing for many true democrats because godfatherism in a democracy is autocracy in disguise. The seeming resolution of the crisis suddenly reached through the political intervention of the president appears more worrying because it portends some serious legal confusion that may come back to haunt the country’s democracy as it flies in the face of constitutional safeguards. The only -isms that appears to be enduring in this country is Awoism which Jagaban now seeks to rewrite.

Wikeists must be held accountable for what becomes of democracy in Rivers State and by extension the country as it is now crystal clear that the Rivers State governor is a place holder for the real governor of the state even after election. Governor Sim Fubara has an uphill task of disproving that he is not a proxy governor.

Wikeism has the implication of encouraging more governors and godfathers to redouble their audacities in preserving their political hegemony in their respective states. Regardless of whatever happens ultimately, we can as well begin to kiss what we consider as democracy goodbye in this country if the best we can get are mere opportunists without any iota of principle riding on the back of their political patrons into public offices.
Fayemi, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.