As the country’s 2027 electoral cycle rolls out, telltale signs are rife over outstanding hotspots for political drama in the days to come. In this context lies the oil-rich Rivers State, whose politics in recent times has marked it out as one state Nigerians need to watch for fireworks.
For many of the 36 states of the federation, permutations in respect of their political future seems to tow a familiar path, the story of Rivers State offers to stand out of tradition. For instance, while in most of the states the succession battle is relatively open with contestants aspiring for office in an ambience of relative liberty to contest based on personal credentials and clout, the case of Rivers State is one in which a garrison mentality prevails with a single potentate disposed to define the political leadership community single handedly. And that is for the simple reason of the fallouts from a years-long bizarre play-out of godfatherism in which Siminalayi Fubara the governor of the state was subjected to a protracted battle of wits with his predecessor as governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, over the control of the state’s political turf.
Incidentally, what should have been a localised and sub-national affair escalated when it enjoyed the unmistakably, tendentious intervention by President Bola Tinubu. And now, after a series of tos and fros, the prevailing state of affairs in the state is one in which the governor has been significantly emasculated and surrounded by unfriendly forces that are primed to unseat him with impeachment at the slightest prompting from the leader, Wike. Even Fubara himself once admitted that he plays weak as a strategy to sail through challenging circumstances as a resort to lines of least resistance.
In spite of this ambience of walking through the valley of the shadow of death, the pace of delivery of dividends of democracy has not slackened, and has been so without sound and fury as is typical of Nigerian power tussles, where the slightest instance of misalignment of perceptions among political leaders easily translates into denial of favours, as well as rights to the rival’s constituents. Hence, even in his relatively trammeled position, Fubara is constructing roads across the entire state, paying salaries and other benefits to beneficiaries as and when due, renovating dilapidated public facilities and has maintained a sense of belonging among the residents of Rivers State.
This disposition, which is rare in the culture of political leadership in the state and even the entire Nigerian nation qualifies for more than a casual glance. It is a play-out of a paradox of juxtaposing moral strength with manifest political weakness.
Philosophers describe it as the acceptance by an actor of his or her vulnerabilities, and refusal to be defined or cowed by such in defeat, but rather thinks out of the box to explore and deliver on set goals. Seen in proper perspective reveals its driving force as vintage moral integrity.
Incidentally, while his dependence on moral strength for good governance rather than saber rattling may have earned him mileage in service delivery, it has also attracted a misreading and even open expression of displeasure from several quarters, who expect from him a toe-to-toe confrontation with traducers.
In recent times, there had been a clamour for more assertiveness from him as if it were a campaign to lure him into the traditional mould of typical ‘never say die’ Nigerian politician. In the context of this dispensation, the question arises as to what is the purpose of political leadership in Nigeria, and indeed, any other society.
In answer to that question is that the primary purpose of political leadership is to define and advance the collective interests of a community, ensuring security, prosperity and wellbeing. Leaders manage resources, make critical decisions and create policies that translate societal needs into actionable solutions, acting as the bridge between challenges and technical solutions.
This foregoing clarification suffices to accentuate the typical leadership models in Nigeria’s political space to the extent of not only giving a damming verdict of mass failure of our current crop of political leaders. It also highlights that some merit is Fubara’s style of driving governance with moral strength.
As the 2027 general polls draw nearer with the choice of who becomes the next governor of Rivers State hanging in the terrain of speculation, the choice of the next governor before the people is one between accepting the product of a parochial choice that serves the exclusive interests of an elitist lobby and the enthronement of one that captures the expectations of the wider society.
It is not surprising that today, both lobbies are hard at work to ensure victory at the polls. In the same vein does it remain a challenge for all who want progress and continuity in the state to do the needful when due.