This is a theme that is evident in Nigerian politics: Wike takes a firm position on the tension between personal ambition and the binding quality of political agreements. His statements will be music to many Nigerians as an expression of values embedded in hard-to-find principles, especially in a political culture that is frequently lamented as opportunistic and full of money politics.
The refusal by Wike to respect earlier agreements might be perceived by citizens who followed the situation in Rivers State as an indication that, even now, political loyalty and the internal processes of the political parties have not completely lost their rhetoric value.
However, the confusion on the details of these agreements also reflects the anger of the people towards obscure politics and leaves the field to speculation, rumor, and, in other instances, mistrust.
In the future, the Nigerians will probably demand more transparency and accountability in the manner of making and fulfilling these agreements. When taken in earnest, the message delivered by Wike can be a template for stabilizing party politics, deterring impulsive moves towards power, and a lesson that no one can just buy or rush to power through proclamations of allegiance.
To the voters, the lesson can be obvious: voters must not take the promises of the politicians graciously, and they will consistently evaluate the political leaders not only by their words but also by their adherence to the agreed course of action and respect for the agreed process.
Practically, the Rivers State politics will require the stakeholders to be capable of negotiating in good faith, keeping the public interest in mind, and not necessarily basing such negotiations on the presidential endorsement or financial gain.
