This is a man who once dominated Rivers politics completely. He controlled party structures, decided who got tickets, and influenced election outcomes with ease. For years, nothing major happened politically in Rivers without his approval.
That era is clearly over.
Today, Wike is no longer in the PDP, the party he once ruled with an iron grip.
He is also not officially a member of the APC.
Even more importantly, the Rivers political structure he once commanded has slipped out of his hands.
Politics has a short memory.
It does not reward past dominance, it rewards present usefulness.
Wike’s power was never just about his personality or his loud voice. It came from control, control of party machinery, control of loyalty, control of political momentum.
That control has now been badly weakened.
With Governor Siminalayi Fubara moving into the APC space, the political balance in Rivers has shifted. The centre of power in the state has moved. The system that once revolved around Wike has found a new direction, and it no longer answers to him.
Whether people like Fubara’s decision or not is beside the point.
The political effect is clear.
Wike’s grip on Rivers politics has loosened, and the influence map of the state has been redrawn.
This puts Wike in a very risky position, loud, visible, but structurally weak.
And in Nigerian politics, standing alone is dangerous.
Political parties can tolerate strong personalities, but they rarely protect individuals who lack structures, numbers, or bargaining power. Noise alone is not leverage.
If President Tinubu secures a second term, relevance within government will not be based on old loyalty or past favours. It will depend on current political value, party strength, and electoral usefulness. Without firm control of a state, a party base, or clear electoral influence, Wike risks becoming politically expendable.
This truth may be uncomfortable, but it needs to be said.
Wike’s influence has likely reached its peak.
He has already played a major role in the national political chess game. He disrupted the PDP, helped reshape alliances, and served as a stabilising force at a critical moment. But Nigerian politics does not run on gratitude. Once a purpose is served, protection fades.
Now, his options are limited.
One option is clear.
He can formally align with the APC, rebuild loyalty from within, and negotiate relevance in a structure where he is no longer the dominant force, but one player among many. That path requires humility, patience, and strategic discipline.
The other option is isolation.
Remaining outspoken, visible, and confrontational, but without the structure to convert words into power, influence, or concrete outcomes.
History is full of politicians who confused visibility with relevance and noise with power.
Wike’s next moves will decide which side of history he ends up on.
In politics, yesterday’s king can quickly become today’s footnote.
If Wike does not adapt quickly and decisively, his story may soon be spoken about in the past tense.
- Sopuruchukwu Ehidony
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