Security is currently a critical issue across Nigeria. While President Muhammadu Buhari says he has tried his best which even he admits is not good enough, some governors and groups of governors have come together to find creative ways to tackle the many security challenges in their states and regions.
Sometimes, however, it appears that some elements within the security architecture of some states and the federation are the same ones that turn around and foist palpable tension and breach of the peace unto the states and hapless citizenry respectively.
Recently, one of Nigeria’s rising political brands Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State had to make an urgent intervention as a detachment of Police officers from Abuja, allegedly invaded Magodo estate in Shangisha, Lagos to enforce a supreme court judgement.
Governor Nyesom Wike, a hard-nosed politician on the other hand has had several hair-raising encounters with the police including the most recent one when the home Justice Mary Odili, a supreme court justice and prominent citizen of Rivers state was allegedly invaded by policemen who claimed to be attached to the office of the Attorney-General of the federation.
In both instances, both governors were able to stop the unsavoury developments created by the presence and action of the security operatives but a debate has since been going on as to who handled the ‘erring’ security operatives better.
BRANDPOWER provides its own take on which of these political personality brands is more successful and astute on these particular security instances.
| GOV. NYESOM WIKE | GOV. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU |
| STATE Rivers | STATE Lagos |
| MAJOR POLITICAL LANDMARKS PDP Member Two-term Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area from 1999 to 2007. Chief of Staff to the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi 2007 to 2011. Minister of State for Education 14 July 2011. Minister of Education, September 2013 to 2015.
Governor of Rivers State 2015 till date | MAJOR POLITICAL LANDMARKS APC Member 2003- Special Adviser on Corporate Matters to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Femi Pedro. Acting Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget 2007 -Commissioner for Commerce and Industry 2007 June – Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions . 2016 – Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) Governor of Lagos State 2019 till date |
| BRAND VISIBILITY Very strong local, national and global visibility and presence | BRAND VISIBILITY Very strong local, national and global visibility and presence |
| BRAND QUALITY/RATING Premium. Oil-Rich State | BRAND QUALITY/RATING Premium. Industry and Investment-rich state |
| Sample Police Security Issue Invasion of Justice Mary Odili’s home In Abuja by ‘Unknown Security Men’ (USM)
| Sample Police Security Issue Invasion of Magodo Estate Shangisha, Lagos by Unknown number of Police officers sent from Abuja by the IG at the request of the Attorney-General of the federation |
| WIKE’S INTERVENTION
Gov Wike, who incidentally, was in Abuja rushed Justice Odili’s home with his security details and media team. Incidentally, Justice Odili’s own security aides had resisted the invasion by pointing out flaws in the search warrant presented by the invading team.
Wike’s arrival and with his team and well-known intimidating stance against what he considers as injustice effectively ended what was to become a strange debacle where every known security outfit denied sending the team or having any foreknowledge of it
SUMMARY: IT WAS A ROGUE OPERATION GONE WRONG | SANWO-OLU’S INTERVENTION Gov Sanwo-Olu had bided his time even after the ‘invasion’ of the Police along with the Supreme Court judgement creditors for almost 2 weeks. The Police had earlier on 21/12/2021 given armed protective cover to the Adeyiga Group who proceeded to indiscriminately mark 549 houses representing the plots they believed they ought to have been allocated by the Lagos State government. They had waited in vain for 12 years! Again on the 3-01-2022, the Police led the Adeyiga team to commence the marking and sealing of more houses even after the alarmed residents and homeowners had staged a protest, for hours earlier in the day Sanwo-Olu rushed to the scene with the state Commissioner of Police, His security details and media yeam. He engaged the unidentified head of the team, a CSP who respectfully asked the Governor to ask his bosses who sent him to call off the exercise as he could not take orders from him. SUMMARY: IT WAS AN APPROVED OPERATION THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO VERY WRONG WITH POSSIBLE DEATHS |
| RESULT OF THE INTERVENTION The illegal operation was aborted and calm returned to the home of Justice Odili and machinery was set up to apprehend and try the erring rogue officers. Nigerians are waiting to see the final outcome | RESULT OF THE INTERVENTION The ‘legal’ operation was halted and peace returned to Magodo Estate as the Governor met with the aggrieved parties the next day and had a fruitful meeting on the way forward. All parties including the supreme court is waiting to see the faithful execution of the agreements |
| RATING OF THE INTERVENTION EXCELLENT | RATING OF THE INTERVENTION EXCELLENT |
| JUSTIFICATION Wike’s aim to stop the operation, raise the nation;s consciousness about the illegal use of shadow security officials for clandestine operations was achieved. | JUSTIFICATION
Sanwo-Olu’s aim to defuse the tension, calm nerves, restore peace and reach a rapprochement with the aggrieved parties were achieved |
| PUBLIC REACTION TO GOV. WIKE’S RESPONSE
Hailed as a ‘strong and powerful’ governor for talking tough with the invading rogue security official | PUBLIC REACTION TO GOV. SANWO-OLU’S RESPONSE Divided opinions as to whether he was too meek and ‘inexperienced’ in handling the officer who appealed to him to reach his bosses for him to discontinue his assignment. |
| DID WIKE FARE BETTER? Wike fared very well, not better. There were different scenarios. Wike did excellently. It was an opportunity to act tough and showcase his macho image …and he did so eloquently. | DID SANWO-OLU FARE BETTER? Sanwo-Olu fared very well under the circumstance. His government was the judgement debtor, it would have been unconscionable for him to have acted any different than he did. He needed to buy time for settlement and save the day for residents of about 6,000 houses… and he did! |
VERDICT:
Providing security and social services is not a tea party. A one-cap tits-all approach never works in all situations.
Besides, these governors are also politicians who consider their political leanings when taking certain actions and comments. Naturally, a PDP government will make a meal of any short-comings or issues of the federal APC government which is what Wike did in the instant case,, an APC governor, like Sanwo-Olu, will handle the same issue with a good dose of circumspection and geniality in order not to make his party look bad.
Sanwo-Olu and Wike are both winners on this score.
Both men are strong political brands and will do well to build on their achievements on security, social justice and economic fulfillment of citizens of their respective states.
