Sir: There are two set of enemies up in arms against Nyesom Wike.

The first set is a powerful external group in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This group has foot soldiers in Rivers State. In fact, Wike would have been a goner, politically, if as governor, he failed to build a solid and united Rivers State that has become envy of all today. The most interesting fact is that Wike’s attackers in Rivers State and outside the state are members of PDP. So, what is the motivation of these attackers?

Rational political watchers will agree that without Nyesom Wike, PDP would have become history by now. The party went into coma after 2015 general elections. It was Wike that picked up what remained of PDP, took it to political hospital, and got it revived. Meanwhile, those calling themselves “leaders” in the party now, were in other parties. They have no political base, as none of them was able to deliver his ward to PDP in 2023 presidential election. So, on what basis are they calling themselves PDP leaders?

Those who think Wike scuttled the micro-zoning of PDP’s presidential seat to southeast are not properly informed.

Recall that PDP setup Governor Samuel Ortom’s committee to zone presidency seat of PDP on March 16, 2022. Before anyone could say Jack Robinson, Atiku Abubakar laid an ambush for Ortom’s committee by purchasing expression of interest form to contest presidential primary on March 17, 2022. Meanwhile, Ortom’s committee was not allowed to sit for one day. Atiku even went ahead to threaten that nobody can stop him from contesting the primary election, insisting that zoning is not constitutional. That was before Ortom’s committee started sitting.

Remember; only Atiku and other northerners contested the primary election of party in 2019 in Port-Harcourt. Then, to Atiku, zoning was constitutional.

At the election venue, Aminu Tambuwal addressed delegates twice as against once that other candidates in the election were allowed. His first address was to canvass for votes; the second was to announce transfer of his votes to Atiku by way of steeping down for him. Instead of the party to disqualify Tambuwal, the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu allowed the election to go on.

In the spirit of good sportsmanship, Wike accepted the dubious defeat and moved on. But when Wike and other well-meaning PDP stakeholders, demanded the resignation of the national chairman to pave way for a southern chairman, Atiku and his reactionary forces refused. The rest of what happened to PDP at the presidential election is now history.

Wike, being a thorough breed politician who knows that delivering democracy dividends to the good people of Rivers State is the reason he was elected and re-elected, he went about doing just that in the state. This led to easy election of Siminialayi Fubara as governor in 2023 governorship elections.

As to the report that the crisis in the state was caused by alleged refusal by Sim Fubara to inherit Wike’s political enemies. If this is true, is Governor Fubara politically right to refuse inheriting Wike’s political enemies in PDP?

Remember, the same Wike’s political enemies sought to declare Rivers State PDP primary election that produced Fubara illegal via the court. At a time, they said PDP had no candidates in all the elective positions in Rivers State. If Wike and other real PDP stakeholders did not fight these formidable political enemies to a standstill, will the issue of inheriting Wike’s enemies arise in the first place?

Has Sim Fubara forgotten that when PDP in Rivers sued some political parties in the state for violating certain provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act in conducting primaries; Iyorchia Ayu-led national leadership of PDP, in attempt to undermine the party in Rivers State, and by extension, thwart Sim’s governorship ambition, embarked on anti-party activities by asking PDP lawyers handling the suit on behalf of the party to withdraw their legal representations? Has Sim Fubara also forgotten that the same Iyorchia Ayu-led national leadership of PDP said that the party had only one candidate in Rivers state? And the candidate was Rt. Hon. Dr Farah Dagogo?

He was the only one that bought governorship intent form from national leadership of the party, according to Ayu!

It is very clear that anti-Wike politicians in Rivers and contiguous states are not happy with his verifiable achievement in the state as governor; they are seeking to turn Governor Fubara away from the trajectory of solid development and growth in Rivers State, which Wike had instituted, by creating gulf between the governor and his predecessor.

• Emeka Oraetoka,

Abuja.