The current ballyhoo about Sen. Godswill Akpabio’s decampment to the APC has raised issues about the South- South, which is about to be overrun by the APC.
Politics is a jigsaw puzzle and there are clear cut rules guiding its operators and their varied operations.
The clarion call for Governors of the South South- the Oil Belt that keeps the oxygen of the country’s life pumping minute by minute is in the eye of the storm by the Federal government.
It is understandable and worrying for the ruling powers to want to gatecrash into the oil belt and basin. If the governors had all along operated like selfish entities they should now be ready and prepared for a collective defence of their most- prized possession, the oil flowing under the bellies of their states.
I do not believe there is any palpable threat from Sen. Akpabio in collusion with APC Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and in passing Minister Rotimi Amaechi-the ex- Governor of Rivers state.
The South South could be under any form of siege if, for example, the APC manipulates the existing Governors to jump ship, like some five governors of the PDP crossed over to the APC, going along with them all the resources of the oil bearing communities.
Such an un-presidential bravado act could trigger a peoples’ revolt in the Niger Delta region. It would be tantamount to an open declaration of war.
There is so much propaganda in the air and the political atmosphere is already awash with it, so much so that it is now difficult to tell what is right and wrong.
Reports claim that the main mouthpiece of the Federal government in Lai Mohammed had said he was not going to run for any elective office in 2019 but to retrieve Kwara state from the strangle-hold of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his cohorts.
Meanwhile, with this clear cut battle line between Saraki and his followers, the states in the South South must be wise enough to defend what is theirs by natural endowments of Oil and Gas buried beneath their states by being alert at all times and confront the antics of the Federal government, whose strategy is to disorganise the Oil bearing states through some undemocratic policies of using its EFCC to terrorise their states into submission and despair.
With Prof. Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers state, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, the outspoken Nysom Wike of Rivers state, Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and of course, Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state standing firm with the PDP, not to mention the non- controversial Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who could still hold his own despite Oshiomhole’s breathing of fire and brimstone over his head, we hope the Federal government would not take the seeming peace currently being upheld by the militants of the Region who are currently on recess from what they know how to do when crisis beckons.
The prevailing peace in the region should not be taken for granted by the authorities in Abuja. Any careless spark from anywhere could ignite another round of uncontrolled militancy in the region which could destroy the modest gains we have had over the past year and a half.
With the gale of defections becoming so infectious, reports speak about dissensions in Ovia area of Edo state where some APC members had walked out on their party. Such incipient signs of internal wrangling within an APC state are sure sign that all may not be well with the ruling party.
As things stand today there has always been mutuality of understanding between the South- South and the South- East states in more ways than one.
Apart from Willie Obiano’s Anambra State under APGA and Okorocha of APC in Imo state, the remaining three states- Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia are solidly PDP states.
Unfortunately, there is an absence of ethnically powerful politicians in these times as opposed to what transpired under Pa Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ahmadu Bello who were able to command tribal respect amongst their followers.
We have also lost an Aminu Kano of Kano state who single-handedly led the NEPU party supporters into wherever he led them. Of the influential name of the Omimi Ejoh Festus Okotie Eboh, Nigeria’s first Minister of Finance, who ruled the waves in Warri and Midwest politics. Or do we ignore the flamboyance of Chief Anthony Eromosle Enahoro who ruled the Ishan axis of Edo north politics and the Ishan people?
Also, we cannot forget the poet and politician in Sir Dennis Osadebay of Mid West from Delta North of Delta state. With their passing on to greater glory at death, Nigerians had been denied the charismatic past leaders in the country.
The South South may have gone beyond the militancy days of Jasper Adaka Borrow-pose 12 days revolution that almost turned the Niger Delta into a blood bath. In his footsteps, we had seen the rise and respite from the Chief Tompolo, Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom, the fulcrum around which the militancy days reigned.
This is the time for them to remain alert and eagle-eyed.
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