Read Ngelale’s lips to know Tinubu’s mind
WHAT exactly is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mind on the Rivers political crisis? To find out, try first to read the lips of those around him; especially his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. The former Speaker is a trusted war horse with polished flourish. He has total trust of his principal. He also controls those closest to Tinubu. The other is the chief spokesman of the President, Ajuri Ngelale. To speak for the President of any country means to be his confidante, and to know the real mind of the president to effectively frame his messages in such a way as to win, not lose.
Thus, those who want to know the real mind of President Tinubu would get it either from Gbajabiamila who will never speak in public or from Ngelale who speaks in public. But, do you understand when he speaks? That’s where the art of interpretation comes in, especially by those of us versed in listening to spokesmen and used to doublespeak.
The presidency knew very much the political worth and value of Nyesom Wike. They gained much from this value, be it nuisance value or capital value. Now is compensation time, and Tinunbu has compensated. Is Wike still in the war chamber for now or the future? Only the president’s men led by Gbajabiamila can reveal this. Is a governor, especially one leading Rivers State, useful? Tinubu knows this damn well. Yes! The value of Wike is in being in control of the governor of Rivers State, and the value of the governor is in having Wike as godfather. If there is a split of the atom, its up to Tinubu and his team to know which part is more valuable for 2027. This must be why each fighter is fighting to build a strong structure from the masses of the state. This must be why the presidency is cautious. Lesson one: The president will pick the one that survives after the mutually assured destruction (MAD) type of war going one now in Rivers State. The winner must show he controls the structure.
Tinubu from now on will not be seen to back any of the two but will wait like that wonderful bird to pick up the survivor.
Tinubu wants the constitution obeyed but also wants the defecting 27 lawmakers to remain in his APC. In return, he wants Sim Fubara to remain governor by denying the lawmakers the love of impeaching him. So, the Constitution has to be injured to strengthen the Polity.
Does Tinubu want violence or turbulence in Rivers? No! Does he want fall of anybody? No! So, what does he want? Let peace reign, let development speed up, let Wike and Fubara resolve their matter, let both men be there for him. But, from the lips, if they want success by elimination, if they want one lion to devour the other, he will not lend any hand. He will be there to hug the winner/survivor and put his eye the other way when the loser is being buried, politically. He is a capitalist, he is politician.
Tinubu knew how Wike fought Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. That time, his political interest was served. In this one, he has no skewed interest, but since both men are eager to be for him, he has chosen to be a neutral father.
Conclusion: Any of them that wants to bank on Tinubu to help him win is wasting his time. The moment he puts his hand to support one, he will lose the other. As a political war general, and general in other wars, he would put no hand. Whoever falls goes down; whoever wins comes to him for the crown. He is not fighting for the Constitution, for Rivers State, for Wike, nor for Fubara. He is fighting by not fighting, but for the Polity. Who is king of the Polity? He is one that sits in Aso Rock.