Nigeria, March 19 -- Politics, as Harold Lasswell defines it, is "who gets what, when, and how." But in Nigerian politics, it often extends to who controls whom, for how long, and at what cost. The unfolding drama in Rivers State is a case study in political loyalty, strategy, and shifting alliances-one that former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, seemed to have foreseen.

During Governor Siminalayi Fubara's inauguration, Fayose, in his characteristic bluntness, warned him about the delicate nature of political godfatherism. He advised caution, patience, and an understanding of the intricate game at play. That warning appears to be unfolding before our eyes. Whether one sees it as fate or simply the natural consequences of political ...