Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and his kinsman and national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, are separated by ambitions in the build up to the 2023 presidential election. While the former seeks a position in the presidency, the later wants to retain his position as national chairman of the major opposition party. GODWIN EGBA in PortHarcourt reports that intrigues and political maneuvering portrays a clash of interest between the duo said to be working against each other.
Findings by Blueprint revealed that the ambitions of Governor Wike and Secondus, two strong political contenders any day, are stoking fire capable of truncating the peaceful conduct of PDP presidential primaries preparatory to 2023 general election. The two are up in arms against each other
Intrigues
These are currently raising dust amongst members of the party conspicuously with Governor Wike’s formidable political structure. His group known as Grassroots Development Initiatives (GDI) with presence since 2020 across the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria, will definitely be a veritable tool of mobilisation.
In 2013, Wike deployed the same political pressure group in Rivers state sooner he became one of the Federal Executive Cabinet members in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The group was largely instrumental to his emergence as governor of the state.
The establishment of GDI in the state was a wing of the state chapter of PDP well utilised during gubernatorial primary election. Political analysts attested to it that the GDI was a strong machine that enabled the governor to defeat all other aspirants that came out to contest the election against him.
Analysts said from the clear body language of Governor Wike, the lid covering his presidential ambition could no longer be cover the smoke of his ambition. They speculate that he would once again give a trial to a national position come 2023, hence there is no harm in trial.
Interestingly, a regional weekly newspaper recently reported that “the governor who was asked if he would vote former President Goodluck Jonathan if he defects to All Progressive Congress (APC) and he (Wike) replied that he does not cast his votes on ethnic sentiments but as a party loyalist, he would go wherever his PDP party goes.”
Secondus factor
It is also widely speculated that the governor seems uncomfortable with Prince Uche Seconds and his ambition to get a second term as PDP national chairman because of his presidential ambition.
According to a PDP insider source, Wike’s source of worry is where the a new PDP national chairman will emerge from. If he emerges from his own state, Wike would kiss goodbye to his ambition, at least for now, as the new chairman would be supporting another presidential candidate either from another zone instead of himself from the south, in compliance with PDP constitution. This fear is thickening as Prince Uche Secondus is believed to be warming up for the PDP national party chairmanship re-election in the up-coming PDP national convention.
Blueprint has it on good authority that should Prince Secondus emerge as national chairman of PDP, he would shot the door against Wike’s ambition on the ground that both of them are from the same state and zone which does not allow such arrangement according to PDP’s zoning formula of political offices.
Analysts are also of the view that Uche Secondus, from Ikruru town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers, has an overshadowing political personality which would as well work against the Governor Wike believed to be doggedly working for a choice of northern candidate to become PDP national chairman in favour of his ambition and also against Secondus’ second term ambition.
Blueprint gathered that “Governor Wike’s strong advantage from the state and beyond is his massive infrastructural development, human capacity building and winning project spread across the 23 local government area of the state and his strong hold of GDI as well as having 100 percent of the local government chairman-elect to his side.”
However, Prince Secondus is not leaving any stone unturned to actualising his second term bid for the PDP national chairmanship. Political pundits have it that among other tactics to see his dream come through is fortification of his political structure with those loyal to him. From notable persons like the former Deputy Governor, Engr. Tole Ikuruu, also a cousin to Secondus, to Major Lancelot Anyanya (rtd) who contested against Wike in 2015 but lost, Wike might be up against political heavy weights in the state.
Lancelot is currently Chairman of the National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA). To political watchers in Rivers state, the fear of Prince Uche Secondus is the beginning of political wisdom for Governor Wike and his Ikwere kinsmen, Uche Secondus as the 2023 political drum beats louder.
Amaechi in the picture
Another speculation of possible spoiler for Wike in particular, is Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi who may be hitting the air with the declaration of his yet undisclosed ambition for presidential office under APC or under any new platform that would probably metamorphose from the APC. This again is not in doubt.
From the antecedents of sour political relationship between Amaechi and Wike since both parted ways for two parallel political divides, is pointer to a fierce fight. Wike has to contend with his two kinsmen mainly seen as his foes against his 2023 ambition.