FLASHBACK: Wike condemned godfatherism, advised Ambode to resist Tinubu's influence

Amid the fallout of the political imbroglio between the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his alienated political benefactor, Nyesom Wike, a 2018 interview has resurfaced, in which the latter was seen condemning the scourge of godfatherism in Nigerian politics.

Speaking on The Osasu Show in September 2018, then-Rivers State Governor, Wike, advised his Lagos counterpart at the time, Akinwunmi Ambode, to reject godfatherism in his state.

He urged Ambode to prioritise Lagos's interests over those of President Bola Tinubu, who was widely regarded as the godfather of Lagos politics.

His remarks followed a series of events in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which culminated in Ambode failing to secure his party's second-term ticket to run for re-election in 2019.

This was after it became obvious that the former Governor had fallen out with Tinubu, who nominated and backed him for the job four years earlier. Many believed the disagreement stemmed from Ambode's alleged abandonment of the party structure put in place by Tinubu and alienation of some loyalists of the APC leader.

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The APC later settled for Babajide Sanwo-Olu, another of Tinubu's anointed candidates, who went on to win the party's ticket and the governorship election.

Wike's advice to Ambode haunts him years later

Meanwhile, Wike spoke against the APC's treatment of Ambode, claiming it can never be tolerated in Rivers State.

“If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode, I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it. I will tell him to promote the interests of his state,” Wike said on The Osasu Show.

“Godfatherism is not good. It negates development. No more godfather politics in Rivers state. We are not in Lagos state. Rivers state will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers state.”

Fast-forward to 2023. A similar situation broke out in Rivers, where Wike embarked on a warpath with Fubara, whom he had hand-picked as his successor.

The first crack appeared in October 2023, when tensions flared over who controls the state's political machinery. The rift slowly degenerated into a full-blown crisis, causing a breakdown of law and order in the South-South state.

The crisis escalated on October 29, when an attempt to commence impeachment proceedings against Fubara led to the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, an act the embattled Governor has been fingered for.

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However, Tinubu brokered a peace deal between the warring parties at a meeting at the Presidential Villa in December 2023, but things further degenerated after both camps walked away from the pact.

Wike has accused his successor of sidelining those who toiled for his emergence, while the Governor alleged that his predecessor was meddling too much in the state's affairs, citing incidents like the minister’s alleged interference in local chieftaincy matters.

Meanwhile, the crisis crescendoed in February 2025 after the Supreme Court, in a raft of judgements that reinstated the 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister, tipped the balance against Fubara.

The apex court also nullified the October 5, 2024, local government elections and ordered the Governor to re-present the 2025 budget to the reinstated lawmakers.

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