By Etim Etim
Over the Christmas holidays, Nyesom Wike travelled the length and breadth of Rivers State, visiting all the local government areas, in what appeared as an early campaign for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu. At every stop of the campaign, Wike’s second son, Joachim, would be seated or standing next to him. The young man, about 26 years old, graduated with MSc in Management and Technology from King’s College, London, only last month. Joachim is gradually being introduced into politics and politicking by his father, and reports say he would run for the House of Representatives in 2027. The minimum age required to contest for the House is 25, lowered from 30 following the signing of the ‘’Not too Young To Run Bill’’ into law by President Buhari in 2018. In the House of Representatives, Joachim will meet other fortunate children whose paths were paved for them by their privileged fathers. One is Bello El-Rufai, 38, son of Nasir El Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State; former Minister of FCT and former DG of BPE.
In Lagos State, 40-year-old Seyi Tinubu, son of our president, is shaking things up. He is said to be working to be the next governor of the nation’s tiniest, but wealthiest state, taking after his father who occupied the office for eight years between 1999 and 2007. Early this year, I wrote a piece in which I forecasted that Seyi’s possible entry into the race would be one of the six significant political developments of this year. Seyi is the driving force behind City Boy Movement, a youth-driven support group established to push his governor ship bid and his father’s reelection. CBM has launched aggressive social media recruitment campaign, luring young Nigerians with a promise to offer them opportunity to ‘’contribute to national development’’. CBM’s primary target is to first bring in celebrities with huge following, who would then attract the crowd. Seyi has been travelling the country, pumping hands and selling hope.
Across the country, influential politicians are steadily and systematically launching their children into Nigeria’s most lucrative sector: politics. Our politics is so financially rewarding that it would be foolhardy to expect a governor or president to retire without paving the way for a family member, preferably a son or daughter. The induction procedures are different and varied. Just last week, another former governor and former minister, Rotimi Amaechi, went to the gate of the National Assembly to join in the protests to push the senate to approve electronic transfer of election results as part of the provisions of the 2027 Electoral Act. Peter Obi was also at the event, but it was Amaechi who made news by turning up with his son, Chikamkpa, 29, who got married only two months ago. The young man was dressed in a well-tailored blue suit, but he looked obviously uncomfortable and ruffled in the crowd. His father introduced him as a medical doctor and noted that he was there in case there was a medical emergency. I laugh. But Nigerians were quick to deduce that Chikamkpa was only going through the first stage of the rites of passage into politics. It’s not yet known what office the young doctor would eventually be interested in, but his father is one of the presidential aspirants of ADC, the main opposition party. It would be an interesting scene to watch. While Wike is from ObioAkpor LGA, Amaechi is from the neighbouring Ikwere LGA. Given the turmoil in Rivers politics and the enmity between the two former governors, how far they are able to push their children would just be another reason to brag about in the years ahead.
Osborne Umahi, 27, son of former governor of Ebonyi State and incumbent Minister of Works, David Umahi, is running for chairman of Ohaozara LGA in that state. The election is in August. Ohaozara means land of desert and is known for extensive, traditional salt mining and processing industry. It receives over N300 million as its monthly allocation from FAAC. That’s the attraction, but it is difficult to imagine what experience a 27-year-old man would bring in managing such resources on behalf of the people. Osborne has never worked before. He attended schools in the UK and frequently visited Abuja where he would be seen tooling around in expensive cars.
In Akwa Ibom State, there is only a case of father-to-son succession in politics. Mr. Otobong Bob, 33, sits in the House of Assembly, representing Nsit Ubium State constituency, the same seat his father, Senator Effiong Bob, occupied in 1992-1993 when Gen Sanni Abacha was Head of State. Effiong Bob has since occupied other political offices, including Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General and Senator of the Federal Republic. Last week, Senator Bob launched his book on legislators’ duties and responsibilities in which he writes against ‘’godfatherism’’ in politics. At the launch event, Senator Akpabio was quick to spot the irony in the author’s writing. ‘’If Senator Bob dislikes ‘’godfatherism’’ so much, he should first and foremost withdraw his son from the House of Assembly’’, Akpabio said, eliciting laughter in the hall.
Apart from its huge financial returns, Nigerian politics is attractive to these political children because of ease of entry. Unlike in the private sector where we spent days preparing for job interviews and on, being employed, toiled hard to climb the ladder, these privileged political children don’t lift a finger before they are ushered into offices. They simply ride on their fathers’ back and land softly on the sofa in the big office. This trend will continue, I suppose, but it portends danger to the society. For one, ordinary folks and their children do not stand a chance. Who will contest against Joachim Wike in Rivers State or Seyi Tinubu in Lagos? Someone asked me the other day, ‘’does Senator Akpabio not have a son? Why has he not, in spite of his wizardry, not put up his child for public office?
There’s nothing wrong in anybody, whether the son of a train driver or the daughter of a senator, seeking an elective or any public office. But if the rules are manipulated and the processes twisted just to favour the privileged child, the society would be the ultimate loser.
Etim is a Journalist and Political Analyst, writes from Abuja.
