As the 2023 general elections beckon, the media have been awash daily with activities of many of the contenders and pretenders for elective offices in the nation’s political landscape.
This has led to some rifts and clashes of interest among personalities and their loyalists within and  between political parties, a development that is already a burning topic of discussions in the public domain among society watchers and public affairs commentators.
Of topmost importance to my minds is the one rocking  the main opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), involving the agitation for the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, by the G5 Governors or the Integrity Group led by His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, (CON, GSSRS, Life Bencher) the Executive Governor of Rivers State, who, with all humility, I prefer to describe as the Nigerian iconoclast of this generation .
His agitation is clearly for the rights of Southern Nigeria in this generation and those yet unborn across party lines. He and his co -travellers are insisting that power at the centre should shift to the South in the coming dispensation.
To begin with, they insist that their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), must show example: the North cannot have the Presidential Candidate and the National Chairmanship slots at the same time. Governor Wike’s agitation that one of these positions be conceded to the South of Nigeria clearly supports my description of him.
“Every age, every generation produces an iconoclast, eclectic, eccentric, quirky and unusual figure who ironically represents the measure, values, the essence of that age or generation and becomes the icon of that age or generation. They are not conventional persons, they are peculiar, odd, aberrant, curious, capricious, quaint, queer and even erratic. Somehow, in spite of their unusualness, they remain unusually loveable. They cannot be ignored. They are usually unobtrusive, yet their presence is forceful”. This is the postulation of Sen. Victor Udoma- Egba(SAN) in his book on  Uche Chukwumerije titled “A Book is Closed” a tribute.
For many political disciples of Governor Wike like me, he perfectly fits into the above description of an iconoclast, a political father who is blunt and pungent when it comes to speaking the truth, no ornamentation, no colouration, no gimmicks and no window dressing. He is not dogmatic but cannot be influenced by anybody, especially when he is fighting for integrity, fair play and justice for humanity.
Though some very few mis-informed see Wike’s agitation as personal, it is right time they had a rethink as the political cloud keeps getting clearer towards the February, 2023, presidential election.
It is heartwarming though that some elders of the PDP like Chief Olabode George and other party faithful from the South have concurred with Governor Wike and the G5 Integrity Group’s agitation, advising that their principled stance, if not properly and appropriately addressed by the national caucus of the party, may lead to a disastrous outing in next year’s general elections.
They agree that the Governors are indeed speaking their mind and that of the  people of Southern Nigeria who are not comfortable with the prospect of the presidency being retained by the North after the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari from the North. Their position hinges on the fact, that while electioneering can be done on the pages of newspapers, electronic and social media, elections proper are not won in the same way but with unity of the political party members, especially when the G5 Integrity Group members are some of the major pillars of the party.
Governor Nyesom Wike, going by his commendable performance in office over the years is, by all standards, a gallant, performing, unassuming and yet very promising politician and is leading his G5 Integrity Group in refusing to accept a chicken change in place of political rights of the  entire Southern Nigeria.
His journey is to revoke political marginalisation as well as mediocrity, a journey to say ‘No’ to cheap misrepresentation and enslavement of the good people of Southern Nigeria, irrespective of party differences and ideologies. An important crusade like this cannot be championed by a mere politician but an iconoclast.
It is on record that he is the only  Governor that has been able to unify leaders, political parties and peoples in  the nation today, evidenced by being the only politician ever to achieve the feat of wooing the opposition to commissioning and flag -offs of quality projects delivered by his administration.
From the South-East, three State governors and others across party affiliation have been special guests to Governor Wike for projects’ commissioning and flag -offs. As well, Governors and notable personalities have been drawn from the South-West, the North. And even the President of the nation himself from the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not exempted.
To my mind, the Governor is the first to practice politics without bitterness in our nation. He is one of those who  firmly believes that “To ignore the fact does not change the fact” according to Andy Rooney.
Governor Wike’s G5 Integrity Group can be likened to a political train that must be approached with extreme caution or be faced with political displacement or irrelevance for ever. “Agreement is Agreement” is their cardinal focus which the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is ignoring but capable of working against its fortune at the center in 2023.
One  may wonder why political commentators are daily listening to Governor Wike’s stand on this matter and seeing his views as that of  a true leader we need. Nothing can change the fact that the opposition party (PDP) reached an agreement among themselves before the last party primaries that saw the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner, as the Presidential candidate of the party, that Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, also a Northerner as National Chairman, would resign if a Northern politician emerges the Presidential flag bearer of the party.
The G5 Integrity Group members, ably led by Governor Wike of Rivers State, are Governors Okezie Ikpeazu of  Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Samuel Ortom of Benue State. Other respectable party elders, former governors and founding members, as well as active members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are united over this message.
In one accord, as politicians of like minds, they had made it clear that they are against any politician plotting to scuttle power shift to the South. They are equally adamant that they are solidly behind Governor Wike’s call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP, and that that condition must be met before they can work for the party come February, 2023 presidential election.
While  some myopic group of politicians are busy trying to blackmail the ICON (Wike) with lies of plotting to work against the party that he put in unquantifiable efforts to keep attractive and workable, his pedigree and brinkmanship is attaining both mercurial and phenomenal proportion. He has distinguished himself as a politician who understands the intricate polemics of Nigerian political landscape.
Governor Wike as the leader of the Integrity Group is a bridge builder, appreciated by both the old and young as well as politicians and non-politicians, wishing he was the Presidential candidate of the major opposition. By his unflinching demand for fairness and justice within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Governor has, unknown to himself, epitomised the political messiah of Southern Nigeria and an iconoclast of our generation.
His commendable association with governors of like minds and other  politicians, even those who are presidential candidates across party affiliations, makes him stand conspicuously as the leader with a mission for the downtrodden people of Southern Nigeria, as well as equity, fairness and justice for our nation.
For long, Southern Nigeria  prayed for a leader and they have now been answered. As indications show today, till tomorrow, almost all news media and social platforms in Nigeria would want to highlight and stream the actions and activities of Governor Wike of  Rivers State.
Traditional news platforms, newspaper stands and major social media platforms without headlines, highlights of stories and  pictures of the Governor are seen as not serious information dissemination channels. No looking elsewhere for the people’s  leader. In solidarity, we all  should acknowledge this God-given  iconoclast of this Nigerian generation for the political right of the people, volunteering to fight for the  Southern down-trodden citizens in a country they are regarded as the famished golden hen that lays the golden egg.
Without fear of contradiction, Governor Wike’s agitation for fair play, justice and equality in Nigeria is an eye-opener for detractors as well as those who are short-sighted in what will befall us in the nearest future. The Nigerian iconoclast is heading somewhere. Time will tell.

By: Odinaka Osundu
Mr. Osundu, commentator on public affairs, resides in Port Harcourt.