Simeon Nwakaudu
It is by the special design of God that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, become the last state governor to receive his Certificate of Return in the 2019 election circle. Ordinarily, Governor Wike ought to have received his certificate with his political peers. But that was not to be, due to reasons that are known worldwide.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Certificate of Return handed over to Governor Wike on April 16, 2019 in Port Harcourt is fundamentally a Certificate of Approval and a huge celebration of democracy. The ceremony is the most significant statement in Nigeria’s political history that brute force, conspiracy, illegal use of national resources and criminal manipulation of the Nigeria’s politician only succeed if the people stand aside and watch helplessly. In other words, the people are pivotal in the emergence of any leader. It is either they choose their leader or they stand aloof and condone political rapists. Rivers people chose to take their destiny in their hands.
On April 6, 2019, Governor Wike, at the precincts of the Fruit Garden Market, received the people’s Certificate of Return after he was declared the winner of the 2019 Rivers State governorship election. The beautiful market women of Fruit Garden Market, acting as representatives of Rivers people, in one accord presented gifts of groundnut, tomatoes and other items to Governor Wike. Indeed, Wike’s security details watched helplessly as these women, acting on behalf of others, expressed their love for the governor who has blessed them with projects and empowerment. They spontaneously certified a governor who stood with them in their times of need and interacted with them, to listen to their hopes and aspirations. They endorsed a governor, who was never far from them, irrespective of the situation.
What the women of Fruit Garden Market did that fateful day, others had done at the risk of their lives during the collation process for the governorship election. The enemies of democracy targeted the Brick House and attempted to rob all local government collation centres, to cart away the governorship election results.
In many local government areas, women trooped out in their numbers to stop unscrupulous soldiers from carting away collated results. One of such historic scenes was at the Ogu/Bolo Collation centre, where the woman kept vigil. At about 2am, the rampaging soldiers attempted to scale the fence, but were checked by the alert women who stood in defiance. The same scenario played out in Okrika and Port Harcourt.
Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Amayanabo of Opobo, King Douglas Dandeson Jaja, captured this historic contribution thus: Your Excellency, we cannot end this address without bringing to the fore the role played by the women of our different kingdoms and communities. Most of them put themselves in the line of fire in the defence of justice. Those women who gave you tomatoes, oranges, groundnuts, etc. at the market gave you more than that. They gave you their all. It was a demonstration of love and trust in you as the governor they know and trust to keep the promise made to them.
“We use this medium to salute our women in the Ogu/Bolo, Opobo, Abonnema, Port Harcourt, and all other women in the state, most of whom were engaged in praying and fasting for peaceful elections in the state. It will be unwise of us if we forget the contributions of our men, because they know we owe them a debt of gratitude for their role in actualising their dreams of Rivers people. We only single out the contribution of the women because most of them went beyond the call of duty in some places and they seemed stronger than the men.”
The Certificate of Return issued to Governor Wike on April 16, 2019 embodies the resilience of Rivers people and their refusal to receive electoral dictation from forces of darkness. On that certificate is a statement that Rivers State cannot be hijacked by elements who collaborate with Federal Might to undermine their people.
On that Wike’s Certificate of Return is a statement that Nigeria can make progress if the people stand up for their rights. This whole affair has been about the people. They insisted on having their way as the soldiers could do nothing to change the narrative.
In the full glare of the world, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo States, May Agbamuche-Mbu handed over the Certificate of Return to Governor Wike. This signalled the end of the long drawn Rivers election circle. May Agbamuche-Mbu also presented a Certificate of Return to Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Banigo. Both leaders will lead Rivers State till 2023.
Rivers State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, presented Certificates of Return to 32 elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. It is imperative to state that Rivers State is basically PDP. A rundown shows that PDP clinched the Governor, Deputy Governor, three Senate seats, 13 House of Representatives seats and 30 House of Assembly seats. The SDP got the other 2 State Assembly seats.
As Governor Wike lifted the Certificate of Return at INEC Headquarters, the nation celebrated democracy, a true definition of government of the people, by the people, for the people.
For Wike, his victory is for all Rivers people, hence it is a new beginning for the state. He said: “Nobody has won and nobody has lost the elections. But Rivers State has won.”
Since the victory was sealed, Governor Wike has never stopped dedicating the victory to God and Rivers people. The presentation of the Certificate of Return to him by INEC was no different. He took out time to recognise Rivers people for standing by him and ensuring that democracy prevailed over forces of darkness. At the presentation of the Certificates of Return, the ugly roles of the Nigerian Army came to the fore. Governor Wike berated the Nigerian Army for attempting to subvert the will of Rivers people.
“The duty of the Army is not to take over INEC office and carry out collation. We saw the Army take over INEC functions and that of the police. Go to Bori camp, you will see INEC materials. Is it where it is supposed to be. But for God, we wouldn’t have been here. All powers came, but God intervened and that’s why we are here.”
The governor commended the Police and DSS for living up their responsibilities during the 2019 l elections. He, however, urged INEC to take steps to investigate why there was violence in Rivers State during elections. He advised the Commission to work towards the prosecution of the F-SARs Commander over the role they played during the 2016 rerun elections.
Governor Wike commended INEC for their steadfast commitment to the legal conclusion of Rivers elections, despite the pressure for them to do otherwise. He said: “I commend INEC for standing firm on the side of the truth. I commend INEC officials for being firm.”
We thank God the devil failed woefully in Rivers State. When I look back at the 2019 elections as they concern Rivers State, we have no option but to continually thank God for his kindness. God Almighty showed himself mightily and disgraced the gods.
If you hear the word “Federal Might, “ you may be deceived into thinking that it ends with agencies of State Violence. But if you situate it in Rivers State, it is a broad spectrum of federal institutions aimed at horrible conspiracies to rob Rivers people of their mandate.
To me, one of the most ugly sore points of the 2019 election was the collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the national television to deride the government and people of Rivers State. I have never seen federal institutions brazenly used to deride the people they were set up to serve, like the national television did after the presidential election. They broadcast fake news against the Rivers State governor and Rivers people.
That Governor Wike and Rivers PDP survived this horrific onslaught by the Nigerian Army says a lot about the principle of sowing and reaping. Over the period of about four years, Governor Wike has invested heavily in infrastructure, economy and human capital development. These developments are known to the people. Therefore, one horrific media bombardment could not have obliterated the good works ingrained in the hearts of the people. This particular attack was targeted at ensuring that Governor Wike lost the governorship election. The people refused to be deceived and they voted overwhelmingly for him.
As we thank God for his mercies and faithfulness during the 2019 general elections in Rivers State, we must begin to ask for total reforms in the management of federal Institutions, otherwise known as Federal Might. As Nigerians with equal stakes, we cannot sit and watch federal institutions used negatively against the very people they were established to serve. It is unhealthy to see Federal Institutions become messengers of doom.
We must thank God because Wike renewed the minds of Rivers people and enlightened them beyond the deadly manifestation of the Nigerian Army onslaught. If they had achieved the victory of the mind, Rivers people wouldn’t have had the “LIVER” to defend and protect their votes during the Governorship election.
The lesson to learn is that leaders will find reasons to deepen their connections with their people. The voice of the people is the voice of God. When the people speak for you, no other force can impeach their preference.
Therefore, the second term of Governor Wike is an era for God and Rivers people. Thanking God all through this period cannot be enough, irrespective of how many times we approach the Throne of Grace. It is by the Grace of God that the mandate of Rivers people was not consumed by the agents of darkness.
. Nwakaudu wrote in from Port Harcourt.