Politics is a mystifying game. One could be at their wit’s end and still never understand some of the trickier matters of the game. Take the case of former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for instance. After everything he said about the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the past, he has returned to ministerial power on account of bowing the knee to the same party.
Integrity and shame can indeed form the bulk of a politician’s strength. For people like Wike, these values are also important. However, the relevance of integrity and sensitivity to shame depends on the matter at hand. Therefore, when Wike recently appeared before the National Assembly to be quizzed for his qualification to be a minister, one can guess which of the qualities had greater eminence.
Some people may have forgotten, but the internet has not. Long before the presidential election that saw the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the APC, Wike was among the most brazen politicians screaming about the corruption of the party. As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike’s accusations against APC were justified. After all, APC members were not quiet themselves. However, Wike was very outspoken.
Then the elections came, and Wike lost the top candidate spot to Atiku Abubakar. Then Wike started to play the ‘sharp merchant’ between PDP and APC, clearly indecisive on which party to support. At the end of the day, Wike became a force that helped Tinubu against his principal, Atiku, leaving the latter distraught and PDP at a loss for words.
Now that Wike’s ‘work’ has yielded ministerial fruit, one cannot but conclude on his intentions. Very few can claim that Wike did not do all he did for himself. He might have a bit of compassion for the nation, but it is his personal interests that steered his decisions and actions.
