Founded in 1912 by the British colonial authority, which saw the area’s potential as a port and transportation hub, Port Harcourt is a cosmopolitan metropolis in Nigeria with a population of 3.5 million, making it the country’s fifth largest. Situated at the center of the oil-rich delta area of Nigeria, Port Harcourt is a thriving metropolis that has become a major hub for commerce and industry in the nation. People lovingly refer to Port Harcourt as the “Garden City” of Nigeria. In this piece, I’ll concentrate on the current political events that have the potential to quickly destabilize the state and the city.
The oil and gas sector, which employs numerous international corporations including Shell, Chevron, and ExxonMobil, is the main engine of Port Harcourt’s economy. The state government has received significant funding for these operations from both the federal government and the operating organizations. For instance, River State’s internal revenue generated in 2022 was 172.8 billion, trailing only Lagos State’s 651 billion. The statutory allocation to the federating states by the federal government is not included in this figure. This unexpected wealth of money has drawn political gladiators eager to engage in combat for the coveted position of executive governor of the state. You may refer to it as the “Games of Thrones.” Play it, win, and take a place on the iron throne, lose and die a horrible death.
It is worth noting that political instability is not exclusive to Rivers State or Port Harcourt; rather, it is a widespread practice throughout Africa, particularly in Nigeria, where politicians utilize the state infrastructure and the commonwealth of the people as weapons against the populace in the streets and in legal proceedings. With its abysmal human rights record and political past, the latest instance in Port Harcourt represents a new low for the nation.
On Monday, October 23, the city awoke to the somber news of the horrific events that had occurred the previous Sunday, which will go down as a black Sunday in Port Harcourt’s political history. There is a fire in the State House of Assembly Complex. Around 9:00 p.m., the culprits overwhelmed the complex’s security, set it on fire, and fled without leaving a trace. It is important to note that the facility and the River State Police Headquarters are located on the same block. The Nigerian Police have not made any statements or made any arrests. All analysts arrived at the same conclusion: there is political motivation behind this. We didn’t have to wait long for word of the state governor’s impeachment plan to spread. It did not surprise us.
What took place? The Chronicle began much earlier in the year, when Nyesom Wike, the outgoing executive governor of River State, anointed, endorsed, and provided strong support for Siminalayi Fubara, the incumbent executive governor. Many in River State thought Wike was the Godfather passing the reins of power to someone he could rely on to carry on his political legacy. For the Fubara election, the former governor has primarily provided funding and run an active campaign. The opposition party is still contesting the election results at the Supreme Court, despite the fact that many people in the state still think they were rigged.
The two governors’ cozy friendship reportedly began to deteriorate when the former governor insisted on choosing 90% of the cabinet. He designated the Chief Security Officer and Chief of Staff for the Government House. Most members of the state House of Assembly are ardent supporters of the former governor. These were actions taken by the outgoing governor to compel the new governor to be loyal. There were even rumors that money was taken from state coffers and demanded in order to expedite ground arrangements.
The incumbent must have anticipated repaying his godfather, but it appears that the cost is now beyond his means. Now that he is the governor, he ought to be respected and consider his own political legacy. Rumor has it that he began conferring with the former governor’s “enemies.” An attempt was made to overthrow the current political system by switching allegiance to Fubara. The current governor must enlist the support of the CSO and the Chief of Staff in order to put this into action. The last option will be to sacrifice them since that will trigger an open conflict with the godfather, for which he must be prepared.
Regretfully, the scheme backfired, and the governor was unable to assemble the necessary numbers to carry out the coup. As soon as Wike, the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory, learned of the scheme, he moved quickly to take action. Wike moved more swiftly than the inexperienced governor could keep up. The governor would be subject to an impeachment trial by the House of Assembly for unspecified crimes. The police are still looking into the group that set fire to the House of Assembly complex. I will let my friendly readers make that determination.
The current governor swiftly dismissed the state’s Chief Justice, fired all of the chairmen of local government, and, in a show of strength, replaced the assembly speaker. In the event that he is impeached, he has practically set up a scenario that will make it difficult for any Wike supporter to succeed him. a humiliating display by those in positions of authority. While this was going on, there was a serious threat to property and life security. Protests in the streets both in favor of and against the gladiators. The Federal Government’s intervention was necessary to bring about the present uneasy calm in Port Harcourt. First round ends in a tie. However, I’m sure that the gladiators and spectators are aware that this is not over yet. May God keep Port Harcourt
Olufemi Oshonuga here, bidding you farewell until next week, when I’ll be back with yet another fascinating blog!
Olufemi Oshonuga
#MEMBA 12
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