On The Frontline With Boma
Politics, they say, is a game of interests, but in Nigeria, it increasingly appears to be a theatre of contradictions where today’s declarations become tomorrow’s denials and where principles are often sacrificed on the altar of expediency. Power changes men, parties and even ideologies. Those who once preached fairness suddenly discover the convenience of selective justice once they gain access to the levers of authority. Perhaps that is why history repeatedly reminds political actors that no throne is permanent and no political empire is eternal. The mighty eventually taste decline, while those intoxicated by power often fail to see the warning signs before the collapse begins.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, once carried itself with the swagger of an invincible political machine. Its leaders boldly declared that the party would rule Nigeria for sixty years and beyond. At the time, such confidence sounded convincing because the PDP appeared firmly rooted in the nation’s political structure. Yet, the same party that once spoke like an immortal institution now battles internal disintegration, defections and loss of public confidence. The fall of the PDP should ordinarily serve as a lesson in humility for every political party in Nigeria, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Unfortunately, recent developments suggest that the APC may be walking dangerously close to the same road of arrogance, contradictions and political overreach that weakened the PDP.
The recent appearance of the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on a television programme discussing the political situation in Rivers State, once again exposed the widening gulf between the party’s public pronouncements and the realities unfolding before Nigerians. During the interview on Politics Today, the programme anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, asked a straightforward question: whether there was an arrangement within the APC to stop Governor Siminalayi Fubara from seeking a second term in office. Morka denied knowledge of any such arrangement and stated emphatically that if such a decision existed, he would certainly know as spokesperson of the ruling party.
On the surface, the response appeared reassuring and politically correct. Yet, politics is rarely judged by words alone. It is actions that ultimately reveal the truth hidden beneath official statements. Events presently unfolding in Rivers State sharply contradict the assurances offered by the APC spokesman. The reported disqualification of aspirants loyal to Governor Fubara in both the State House of Assembly and National Assembly primaries has raised troubling questions about sincerity, fairness and the true intentions of powerful interests within the ruling party structure.
One cannot ignore the irony in the current political drama playing out in Rivers State. On one hand, APC leaders publicly describe Governor Fubara as the leader of the party in the state. On the other hand, political activities and strategic alignments within the same party appear designed to undermine, isolate and weaken him. Leadership in politics is not declared merely through speeches; it is demonstrated through influence, inclusion and control over party structures. A man cannot be called the leader of a political party in his state while forces within the same party systematically work against his allies and political interests.
What Nigerians are witnessing is not merely a local political disagreement. It is a reflection of a deeper culture within the nation’s political system where convenience often overrides consistency. The APC has repeatedly told defecting governors that they would become leaders of the party in their respective states. Vice President Kashim Shettima made similar declarations while receiving governors and political heavyweights who defected from opposition parties into the APC. The message was clear: come into the ruling party and enjoy protection, stability and political accommodation.
Indeed, many politicians defected not necessarily because of ideology, but because they sensed instability within their former parties. Some fled toxic internal battles. Others sought protection against hostile political godfathers. A number simply believed that aligning with the ruling party would guarantee political survival and electoral advantage. That has become the new reality of Nigerian politics where defections are increasingly driven by self-preservation rather than conviction.
Yet, the Rivers situation appears to expose cracks in the APC’s grand political narrative. If governors are truly leaders of the party in their states, why then are parallel structures allegedly being encouraged? Why are aspirants believed to be loyal to Governor Fubara reportedly sidelined? Why does the political atmosphere suggest that another power centre is being unofficially recognised above the sitting governor?
At the heart of this controversy lies the continued influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Ironically, Wike himself has openly declared on several occasions that he remains a member of the PDP and not the APC. Yet, political developments in Rivers State suggest that the APC structure in the state revolves substantially around his influence and political network. This contradiction forms one of the most fascinating dimensions of the current political chess game.
How does a man who publicly identifies with another political party appear to wield enormous influence within the ruling party’s operations in Rivers State? How does the APC reconcile its public declarations with the perception that its structures in Rivers are effectively aligned with forces outside the party’s formal leadership hierarchy? These are questions many Nigerians are asking quietly, while party leaders pretend not to notice the contradictions.
Reports surrounding the recent House of Representatives primary further intensified public suspicion. Allegations emerged that key APC officials, including members of the National Working Committee, were present in Obio/Akpor during the exercise and reportedly lodged in facilities linked to the FCT Minister. There were also claims that many individuals who participated in the APC primary were originally PDP loyalists aligned with Wike’s political structure. Whether entirely accurate or not, such perceptions damage the credibility of the process and deepen public distrust.
Politics thrives on perception. Once the public begins to suspect manipulation, neutrality becomes difficult to defend. The APC must therefore understand that political victories secured through perceived inconsistency may ultimately create long-term credibility problems for the party itself. Nigerians are watching closely. Rivers people are even more observant because they understand the local political dynamics better than distant party officials in Abuja.
Perhaps what makes the Rivers situation more disturbing is the seeming attempt to diminish the office of governor itself. Regardless of political disagreements, the office of a state governor remains one of the most constitutionally significant institutions within Nigeria’s federal structure. Any political arrangement that appears to publicly weaken or humiliate a sitting governor sends dangerous signals about power relations within the country’s democracy.
No democracy survives for long when institutions are subordinated to personal political interests. Political parties may win temporary battles through intimidation, manipulation or strategic alliances, but when institutions are weakened, the entire democratic system suffers eventually. Today it may favour one group; tomorrow it may become a weapon against another.
The APC should be particularly careful because history has a cruel sense of repetition. The same PDP that once dismissed opposition voices later found itself consumed by internal contradictions. The same arrogance that made the PDP believe it was untouchable eventually became one of the factors that led to its decline at the national level. Political parties rarely collapse overnight. They erode gradually through hypocrisy, internal injustice and loss of moral credibility.
Unfortunately, Nigerian politicians often fail to learn from history because power creates the illusion of permanence. Those surrounded by praise singers begin to believe that public anger does not matter. They underestimate the silent frustration of ordinary citizens who observe events quietly while waiting for the right moment to respond politically.
The Rivers crisis also exposes another troubling feature of Nigerian politics — the dangerous concentration of influence around individuals rather than institutions. Political parties increasingly revolve around personalities instead of ideology or internal democracy. Loyalty to powerful figures often matters more than loyalty to party principles. This culture weakens democratic growth because institutions become secondary to personal networks and political patronage.
One wonders what message younger Nigerians are receiving from all these developments. At a time when citizens are demanding accountability, transparency and internal democracy, the political class appears more interested in strategic calculations and power dominance. The result is growing public cynicism toward the political process itself. Many Nigerians no longer trust political promises because they have repeatedly witnessed contradictions between words and actions.
Perhaps the APC leadership should pause and reflect deeply on the implications of the Rivers situation. Political strength should not merely be measured by the ability to control structures or dominate opponents. True political maturity lies in fairness, consistency and respect for democratic principles even when inconvenient. A party that publicly declares one thing while enabling contrary actions risks damaging its own credibility.
The danger in politics is not merely opposition criticism. The greater danger comes when a party gradually loses moral authority in the eyes of neutral observers. Once citizens begin to see a political party as inconsistent or manipulative, rebuilding trust becomes extremely difficult. Power may secure temporary silence, but it cannot permanently suppress public perception.
William Shakespeare once observed that “the evil that men do lives after them.” In today’s politics, however, the consequences no longer wait for posterity. They return almost immediately to haunt those responsible. Political actors who manipulate institutions today may become victims of the same system tomorrow. Those who encourage selective justice may eventually cry foul when the tables turn against them.
The APC still has an opportunity to avoid repeating the mistakes that weakened the PDP. But that opportunity lies not in propaganda or media appearances. It lies in genuine consistency, internal fairness and respect for democratic values. Nigerians can tolerate political disagreements, but they quickly recognise hypocrisy when they see it.
Rivers State has once again become a mirror reflecting the contradictions of Nigeria’s political culture. The question now is whether the ruling party will honestly confront those contradictions or continue pretending that Nigerians are too blind to notice them. History has shown repeatedly that political parties do not collapse merely because of opposition attacks; they collapse when their actions begin to contradict the values they publicly claim to defend.
And when that moment arrives, no amount of television interviews, carefully crafted statements or political denials can rescue a party from the judgment of history and the verdict of the people.
On The Frontline With Boma is published by The Port Harcourt Telegraph Newspaper authored by the Managing Editor.
