NYFA LEADERS' EVENING DIGEST

THE PUPPETEER OF ABUJA: POWER, POLITICS, AND PRESIDENTIAL WHIM

In the grand opera of Nigerian politics, Rivers State has become the stage for a farcical dance, with Governor Sim Fubara playing the role of a beleaguered marionette. The strings, however, are expertly manipulated by the puppeteer-in-chief, Nyesome Wike, whose mastery of the art of political puppetry is unmatched.

Meanwhile, Wike's patron saint, President Tinubu, watches from the shadows, pulling the ultimate strings that control the entire spectacle. One wonders if the good people of Rivers State are aware that their democratic rights are mere playthings in the hands of these power brokers.

On the one hand, President Tinubu jets off to France, no doubt to perfect his tan and polish his déjà vu smile. On the other hand, the people of Rivers State are left to grapple with the consequences of his whims, as democracy is reduced to a mere puppet show.

In the midst of this charade, Minister Wike has taken it upon himself to conduct reruns of the elections, installing APC local government chairmen with all the pomp and circumstance of a medieval coronation. The administrative governor of Rivers State, a mere pawn in Wike's game of chess, looks on in awe as the strings of power are pulled with precision.

As a result, the people of Rivers State are treated to a spectacle of democracy in reverse, where the will of the people is trampled upon with impunity. The rule of law is reduced to a mere suggestion, and the powers that be seem more interested in consolidating their grip on power than in serving the people who elected them.

In contrast, Governor Sim Fubara's efforts to assert his authority are akin to a mouse trying to roar like a lion. One can only hope that he finds the strength to reclaim his mandate and serve the good people of Rivers State with the dignity and integrity they deserve. Until then, he remains a mere puppet on strings.

Notwithstanding the challenges, the people of Rivers State will not soon forget the manner in which their democratic rights were trampled upon. Wike would do well to remember that karma is real, and those who disregard the democratic process may one day find themselves on the receiving end of such treatment. The universe, after all, has a way of balancing the scales.

As the situation unfolds, the nation watches with bated breath as Rivers State becomes a one-party state, courtesy of Tinubu and Wike's antics. The disrepute they are bringing to the nation, a stain on collective conscience. One can only hope that sanity will soon prevail, and democracy will be allowed to flourish in Rivers State. Until then, the people will continue to suffer under the weight of authoritarianism.

Ultimately, the question on everyone's mind is: what is next for Rivers State? Will Governor Sim Fubara rise to the challenge and reclaim his mandate, or will Wike and Tinubu continue to call the shots? The people of Rivers State deserve better than to be mere puppets in a game of power politics.

TEAM nBAU