By Dr. Clem Aguiyi
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The brief essay that follows is more than a critique of Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara; it is a lament for the erosion of democracy in Nigeria. As Abraham Lincoln famously defined it, democracy is “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” It is a participatory system in which the electorate decides how they are governed and who will represent them. Elected officials, in turn, hold power as trustees on behalf of the citizens.
In Rivers State, however, that principle has been eclipsed by “Wike da God,” a self‑styled godfather who wields authority as a child would a television remote—changing the channel at will, unchallenged and unaccountable. With the tacit backing of the Federal Government, he dictates whether the governor speaks or remains silent; when he sneezes, the administration catches a cold.
During one of his many tours across the state, Wike boasted that Governor Fubara will not be re‑elected in 2027, even if the people demand it. He proclaimed that only he will decide the next governor of Rivers and that he regrets having “produced” Fubara as governor. One is reminded of the power‑drunk Minister of the FCT, who once declared that only God appoints kings and may use men to fulfill His purpose. Wike seems to forget that when a leader usurps the people’s power and imposes his will, he is not running a government but a criminal enterprise. Rigged elections and personalized power undermine the very foundation of democracy, making such conduct a direct threat to democratic governance.
What Wike is doing goes beyond arrogance. When he declares that not even the president can call him to order, he is not merely challenging party hierarchy or federal authority; he is confronting the constitutional order itself. A governor is elected by the people to serve them, to be held accountable for good governance. To subject that mandate to the whims of a godfather is to treat the adults who voted in elections as children incapable of intelligent decision‑making.
Wike’s style is a bad influence on our politics, and for lack of a better word, it is inappropriate. It sets a dangerous precedent: that power can be hoarded, that the will of the people can be overridden, and that no one—no president, no party, no constitution—can hold a “godfather” to account. If democracy is to survive in Rivers and in Nigeria, we must reject this brand of impunity and reaffirm that power belongs to the people, not to any single man.
