The Politics Of Witch-Hunting: Lessons For Amaechi

Except you are too gullible and prone to believe that the unhealthy relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi is only a war of attrition, there is certainly more to the rift. First, is the tussle for power. The pair wields enormous influence in their respective quarters, but it is the persistent actions of the president to prove a political point to a man who he perceives to be too unruly at best, and a threat at least. This is not an attempt to analyze all the protracted issues enmeshed in the plot, for we may never know exactly when things began to fall apart between the pair. However, this is an attempt to make Amaechi know that in such a war between the little guy and the echelon of power, history suggest that the latter almost always have the last laugh. Make no mistake about it, Amaechi's brevity and penchant to take a swipe at the excesses of the powers that be, must be admired. It was obvious that the creation of the PDP Governors Forum out of the NGF, was mainly an attempt to undermine Amaechi's influence. Then, there was the infuriating story of the governor's aircraft and all the surrounding issues it has generated. In all these, Amaechi has remained dauntless. But, being dauntless against such forces comes with a price. And in this part of the world, the price might be dire. The governor's detractors are beginning to multiply among the political ranks, though he might be winning the vociferous support of the opposition, he can't regard such goodwill as a plus. The reasonable advice for Amaechi is for him to take it easy from here on, and work on burying the hatchet. Otherwise, he could take the stance of a hero against the forces, and if history is anything to go by, he will end up becoming a political loss. The plot is already thickened, and only time will tell when all these will end. With 2015 on the horizon, Amaechi and Jonathan cannot afford any political bruises that could jeopardize their lofted ambitions.