Eventhough the current political crisis, occasioned by the disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, godfather and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, was not quite unexpected, the fact that it came so soon did not give some stakeholders in the stateenough time to plan their next political move.

But with the current scenario, many of them have started the process ofrealignment, overtly for those with the gut and covertly for those unsure of where the pendulum would swing.

Indeed, quite a number ofPeoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftainsand disgruntled All Progressives Party (APC) membersare secretly aligning with Fubara,while some are watching to see who wins at the endtodeterminewherethey would pitchtheirtents.

Already, a fewaggrievedPDPHouse of Representativesmembers, worried bythe way things have been goingon, have pitched tent with Fubara.

In the past, Wike‘ran’the party and thestate like a one-man affair; he dictatedand decided what happenedand who got what.Though a number of party members were not at home with the development,they remained hapless,apparently scared thatthe former governor mightstrip them ofwhatever opportunitiesthey enjoyed.

For instance, twofederal lawmakers, Awaji-Inombek Abiante,representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency,and Boma Goodhead,representingAkuku-Toru and Asari-Toru Federal Constituency,who staged a solidarity walked forthe governor from UTCJunction with youths to Government House gateinPortHarcourt, spoke angrily like peoplethathadbeenhitherto caged.

They also called for the arrest of thosewhoinstigated or are still instigating thecrisis in the state.

Whatever the outcome of this crisis, the politics of the state would not remain the same. This rift between Wike and Fubara has altered the political equation in the state.

For the PDP, many believe President Bola Tinubu may have offered theformerstatechairman,Desmond Akawor,a federal appointment to weaken the party enough and clear the way for APC to swallow it, the ruling party’s national leadership having dissolved the former state executive and handed over the leadership to a caretaker committee chaired by Mr.Tony Okocha, a close ally ofWike.

The move ultimately alienated the faction loyal to a former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi. Little wonderOkochawas quick todescribe the defection of theinitial 27, now26 lawmakersfrom the PDPto his party as a welcome development.

Whatever remains of the PDP leadership in the state is divided between the two gladiators, even as many expect a shift of loyalty in the coming days.

For the APC, half of its soul has been purged and left hanging. The Amaechi faction, which had held sway for years, appears to be in the lurch. But that may not be for too long, as it is unforeseeable how it would be subsumed by the leadership of a Wike proxy.

Recall that Amaechi and Wike, hitherto political friends, have become arch-rivals since 2014, before the former defected from PDP to APC.

No wondera former nationalpublicitysecretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party(nPDP)and chieftain of the APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,insisted: “The truth of the matter is that Amaechi is still a member of APC and in that case, he is the undisputed leader of APC in the South-South region. All the machinations against him will not stand.

“The attempt to commence impeachment process againstthe governor,just because he wants to revive most of Amaechi’s vision,like the Songhai and Greater Port Harcourt,all aimed at making Rivers State self-sufficient and empowering most youths,is most sad and unfortunate.”

Ezehad earliernotedthat the law of retributive justicewasworking againstWike, recalling that in 2014,hesupported five lawmakers,led by Evans Bipi,to sack 27colleaguesloyal to Amaechi, thengovernor ofthe state,and elected Bipi asspeaker,sayingtoday,five lawmakers have sacked 27 of their colleagues loyal to him(Wike).

In the days ahead, splinters of PDP loyalto Wike could move into the APC, a process that has already started, while those in the APC loyal to Amaechi could conversely find their way back into the PDP or offer support to Fubara, at the least.

Meanwhile,Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria),Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, has advised Fubara,whohe saidis on the defensive,to have listening ears, consult widely and watch properly before taking actions.

He noted that so far,the governorhas done well in managing the crisis, adding that his disposition not to fight backbut focus onthingsthatwould assist him to proceed with governance was commendable.

Fyneface saidthe mainreason(s)theformergovernor wantshis successorto be removed is best known to the godfather and godson.

The activistcalled on parties to the conflict to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign in the state in the interest of the people. (The Guardian)