Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The last is yet to be seen about the hostility between Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the fallouts have spilled over to the Access Bank, one of the strongest and fastest growing financial institutions in Nigeria.
Amaechi is the leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
In the branch of the bank at Bank Road, Port Harcourt, what started as a mild argument among some customers of the bank who came to do transactions at the automated teller machines (ATMs) there nearly turned into a fisticuff.
The argument started when one of the customers rushed in some minutes after six o’clock in the evening and announced to whoever cared to listen that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Governor Nyesom Wike as the winner of the March 9 gubernatorial election.
When one of the customers asked the man how he got the news, he said: “Ah, I just heard it on the radio now. Nigeria Info aired it. Thank God for him but he should rule well this time around, that is my own. I’m not against him winning but in this second term, he should rule the state well.”
Unaware of the presence of a TPCN reporter who was also there to do some transactions, the man continued, addressing nobody in particular: “At least there should be peace now that Wike has won. He should address the insecurity in the state. This second term should be an opportunity to rule the state well.”
One of the customers, who probably was not comfortable with the man’s comments about Governor Wike, retorted: “Oga, this one you’re talking like this, was Wike not ruling well before? It’s like you’re an Amaechi man. Was the insecurity not there before he became governor? If you know Rivers State very well, you should know that the insecurity has been there before Wike became governor. He can only try as a human but he cannot stop it because this is Rivers State.”
The man that started the argument replied: “It’s a lie. Rivers had been a peaceful state before now. Was there insecurity before 1999? By the way, were you born in Rivers State?”
When the man replied in the negative and explained that he had lived in the state for a long time, some other customers, who seem to be indigenes of Rivers State, became angry with him and accused him of misrepresenting Rivers State but the man insisted, arguing that Rivers State had always been known for violence.
This provoked more furious reactions, especially from the customers that hail from Rivers State, as they felt that the man was painting a wrong picture of the state.
One of them, in an effort to correct the wrong impression, told the man in an angry tone: “My friend, if you don’t know what to say, then shut up your mouth. Rivers State used to be a peaceful state before these politicians came. Rivers State spoilt from 1999 when Odili became governor, in case you don’t know. Amaechi was also there as Speaker. That time, Wike was chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Amaechi tried to stop the insecurity but he could not totally stop it; Omehia also tried but he didn’t stay long and now it’s Wike. All I’m telling you is that Rivers State was not known as a violent state before. Militancy and violence started from the time of Odili, but before that time, it has been a very peaceful State. That was when it was garden city. So don’t say that Rivers has been a violent state. If you don’t know the history, just shut up your mouth.”
As the man wanted to argue, another customer charged and shouted at him: “Oga, do you still want to argue? We go push you out of here now. You’re not from Rivers State and you’re talking nonsense about our state. Can I go to your state and start spoiling the name of your state? That’s how you people come and cause problem for us. You come here to make money and still cause problem for us.”
At this stage, the man that broke the news of Governor Wike’s victory said: “No problem. All I know is that God will do something in this state, especially in this second tenure.”
Another customer replied him: “God has no business with governance. It is not God that will come and rule us. If we fail to rule ourselves well, it is none of God’s business. Let’s stop calling God God all the time.”
However, the argument ended without a physical fight.
