By: Bekee Anyalewechi
By late last week members of the NEW political group in Rivers State commissioned their rumour factory. For the index hereafter, NEW is an acronym built off an amalgam of an alliance between Mr. Nyesom Ezebuwon Wike and the Grassroot(sic) Development Initiative,GDI.
NEW is the political steam of Mr. Wike who was declared winner of the April 11, 2015 gubernatorial election in Rivers State and consequently Governor, whereas GDI has been labelled the unofficial armed wing of the foregoing. Those who said so had linked the group to most political violence in the state.
Last week, the NEW plus GDI bloc went on rumour spree that Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside had been quarantined by a certain ailment. They had been divided into two sharp camps but commissioned to achieve same goal. Summarily, that goal was to put Peterside down, link him to a mental mirage that questioned his health capacity to govern Rivers State at the appropriate time. NEW and GDI have been reading their crystal ball and it must have been obvious that a hiccup will soon hit their present hope. Wike, NEW and GDI have been struggling to keep afloat their fading consolation. The trio have been seeking to placate wounded conscience, tattooed history and weeping justice. Their marabouts must
have applied all remedies to woo their bag of misfortune.
There is no doubt that Mr. Wike appropriates large currency to his ongoing mental assault on the psyche of Riverspeople. Full of self passmark, Wike continues to scavenge further the reputation of Peterside, a gentleman well-beloved across Rivers State. So, last week, when NEW released its propaganda episode, it tied Peterside to an ‘ailment’ only curable overseas. In fact, when I received some calls from
some “journalists” seeking to confirm that Peterside had been flown abroad on medical condition, I immediately knew that NEW had prepared a fresh pot of porridge ornamented with satanic condiments.
NEW’s strategists had commissioned those foot soldiers to share the fallacy of the ‘illness’ into two key fans. The first group was to sell the dummy that good health had departed from Dr. Peterside. It was to be sold that Peterside had collapsed in health and that his condition was irredeemable.
However, this set was not to market the specifics of the ‘ailment’, a job left to the second and more sinister set. This more daring set of propagandists was to speculate on the specifics of the ‘ailment’, narrate the cause and suggest thecountry to which Peterside had been flown. In fact, that
group was to tell Rivers people that their son was confined
to wheelchair in far away United States of America in need
of urgent medical attention. That evil sermon was to be couched in convincing diction, tied to once-upon-a-time chubby but lately collapsed relationship between him and former Governor Chibuike Amaechi. They were to cap it with certain recommendations.
Few days to that Devil’s advocacy, I had been part of a meeting in Abuja at which Peterside presided. There were others who, if need be, would build my community of witnesses that Peterside was healthy, happy and had no qualms with his medical record. At that meeting, Peterside, a charm and delight any day, any timejoked freely while maintaining strict focus on his line of discourse. Even after
the same meeting, he cracked jokes until his team ushered him out of sight. So, for me, it was obvious the rumour originated from NEW to score cheap points.
Between Sunday and Monday, Peterside had occupied the centre of dialogue in Rivers State. The advocates of his ailment’ must have swallowed their receding saliva to see this emerging political czar address his concern that the state of his nativity was presently under the blade of NEW and its principal. Gladly, rather than waste air and precious time responding to the falsehood, Peterside and his team decided to make an upscale live appearance. On Sunday, he addressed a Press Conference right in Port Harcourt. His
voice was strong, his guess focused even as his gait remained rated. In his usual nature, he came hard on the
current drama of the absurd originating from the Rivers State Government House; slammed the hollow rhythm spewing from the den of NEW and GDI. He spared no arrow in his quiver to shoot down the evil birds in desperate romance to subvert the commonwealth of Rivers people. Peterside had never been a coward, that castrated General who abandons the war front for the bunker of ease. No! Not
Peterside!
Taking his latest battle forward, Peterside, on Monday, made live appearance on NigeriaInfo FM radio station in Port Harcourt. Listening to him, there was no doubt that he had been prepared and made ready by the Divine Power to oversee the affairs of Rivers State. Articulate, firm, precise
and bold, Peterside responded to the questions in a commanding manner yet not losing his respect for his
listeners. Now that the devil’s advocates have been confined to the dustbin of infamy, Rivers people have a rekindled hope in Peteside. They have been comforted that their beloved choice is still in the trenches ready to take the bullets on their behalf. Peterside and Rivers State have a bond, a common, filial paternity founded on a Divine Proposal to redeem the state and save her future. Peterside remains committed to that uncommon resolution anchored on trust,truth, justice and equity.
For those who wished him medical condition, it was only appropriate they recalled the story of how those who wished Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the great Zik of Africa, death, ended.
Records show they died before the Owelle. A lesson for the
living!
N.B: Opinions expressed on this artticle is soley of the Writer
