The political crisis rocking Rivers State has been described as the regular tussle between godfathers and godsons, in which many critics have pointed accusing fingers at the immediate past governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, now minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Governor Siminalayi, in his bid to settle with his godfather, Wike, was seen making a public apology for the recent tension in the state and trying to distance himself from the state national assembly while commending President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.
Wike, on his part, has maintained his stance on defending the political structure he left behind in the state, adding that he would not allow anything or anyone to come near it while lamenting how Fubara has gone to align with his political enemies who had fought him when campaigning for him (Fubara).
In the same vein, Wike is enjoying the support of the elders in the state, who have reminded Fubara how his predecessor brought him and other political officeholders in the state to the limelight.
However, it is pertinent to note that Fubara is not the only sitting governor in Nigeria who was pushed to that position through the help of Godfather.
Below is a list of sitting governors in Nigerian whose godfathers are popular: Abba Kabir Yusuf The Kano State governor, popularly referred to as Abba Gida Gida, is a known member of the Kwankwasiyyah Movement and an in-law to the former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Many political pundits are aware that Kwankwaso is a political godfather to the Kano state governor, who have began erase the legacies of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu Lagos is a state of power struggle, fallouts and reconciliation that has thrive under the godfatherism of President Bola Tinubu since the return of democracy in 1999, when Tinubu served as the state governor.
President Tinubu has been popularly and generally described as the godfather in Lagos politics, his endorsement of any candidate for the number one seat in the state is always crucial in the polity. Uba Sani The emergence and prominence of Uba Sani in the Kaduna politics cannot be told without mentioning the influence of the immediate past governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai. El-Rufai was very influential in the northern politics generally that the vice president, Kashim Shettima, was reported to be very instrumental in his rejection as a minister under President Tinubu’s administration by the Senate.
Umo Eno The Akwa Ibom state governor is one of the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that would not want to confront their political godfathers. In September, the Governor Eno described his predecessor and immediate past governor of the state, Udom Emmanuel as his “political father.”
Governor Eno said: “I thank God for the privilege that He has given me through Akwa Ibom people. I thank my political father, and predecessor Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for making it possible that I am standing here today.”
