2019: Can PDP Bounce Back

By Oyewale Oyelola

 
The Supreme Court recently declared Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after almost a year of legal battle for leadership of the party.

PDP who ruled Nigeria at the central level from 1999-2015 has been bedeviled by crisis since defeat in last year Presidential election. National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP are just learning act of opposition which necessary ingredient to strengthen democracy in the country.

This crisis could be traced to defeat suffer by the party at the federal level. Some members embarked on blame game after their defeat, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State accused former National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu fondly called ‘Game Changer’ of not doing enough to mobilize support for Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in the north during April 2015 election. He therefore mobilized party faithful against Muazu and his exit from office.

Sequel to exit of game changer in May 2015, Chief Uche Secondus (Deputy National Chairman, South) takes over as Acting Chairman but forces from North East led by former Political Adviser, Ahmed Ali Gulak filed a suit at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stop Secondus continue stay in office. Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the High Court, Abuja sacked Uche Secondus as the Acting Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) December last year.

In February 2016, National Executive Committee after nationwide consultation appointed Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff as National Chairman to complete Adamu Mu’azu tenure. This move which has the backing of Jonathan was to ensure North East retain the chairmanship seat.

The vocal Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. Ayodele Fayose back then described the appointment of Senator Ali-modu Sheriff as PDP Chairman as the best thing to happen to the party.

According to him, “I supported the processes that led to the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff because I believe in him and for those who may be aggrieved for one reason or the other; I plead that they should sheath their swords in the overall interest of our party.

“Most importantly, the reality that we must all face is that we are in a peculiar situation and such a situation deserves a peculiar approach. What the party leaders have done therefore is to tackle the present situation in our party with the most appropriate solution and we must all stand by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who is our present solution to our present situation.”

However, the appointment of Sheriff who joined PDP in buildup to 2015 general elections was rejected by youths, stakeholder forum (group former political appointees in the party, some elders and Board of Trustees. Aggrieved party faithful argued that Sheriff will lead the party to doom due to his antecedent of working against his party from within while other says he responsible for creating of Boko Haram. The party leadership later announced that Sheriff will lead PDP for three months and to vacant the seat during National Convention.

The crisis in the leading opposition took a new dimension as two leaders emerged at parallel National Convention held in Port Harcourt and Abuja. The embattled Chairman of the party, Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff was sacked unceremoniously before the commencement of Port Harcourt National Convention attended PDP Governors, elected political officeholders from the party, National Working Committee/National Executive Council members, Board of Trustees and delegates from 36 states of the federation and FCT.  While delegates at the Port Harcourt Convention appointed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as Chairman of seven-man Caretaker Committee.

Chief Femi Fani-kayode while commending Sheriff’s appointment said, “Many have argued that his allegiance is more to the Republic of Chad than it is to Nigeria, that he is an agent of the Chadian intelligence agencies and that he is a Chadian citizen who often flaunts his Chadian passport.I cannot confirm the veracity of these assertions but one thing that I know is that most of Modu Sheriff’s funding and stupendous wealth emanates primarily from the Republic of Chad and that that country is as much a home to him as is Nigeria. Yet it is not his connection with Chad that gives me cause for concern. Rather it is his role in the establishment of Boko Haram.

‘The truth is that appointing him as our Acting National Chairman is like appointing Jack the Ripper as the leader of the Conservative party in Victorian England. Kudos must go to the elders in the PDP Board of Trustees, a number of State Party Chairmen and a number of key individuals in the PDP Ministers Forum for taking a courageous and noble stand by rejecting and resisting the imposition of this abominable monstrosity.”
Although, Sheriff-former governor of Borno state spent close to one billion naira to pay salaries and allowances of PDP Secretariat staff and settle party’s obligation to contractors relating to 2015 general elections but his link to APC chieftains call for questioning. Some APC Stalwarts while responding to his appointment as PDP Chairman said he would always work with us (APC).
Kano State Govenor, Dr Umar Ganduje described Sheriff’s boasts to return PDP to power in 2019 as an empty threat, said the history of the chairman himself portrays him as a cross carpeter. He is always on the move in changing from one party to the other. Even when he was in All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) for eight years, he was working for the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Even, the APC started with him, and then he went back to the PDP and we were happy. I am sure in the long run he will work for us, and that is what I believe. We are happy because we believe in the long run he would work for us; find out his history, you will believe me.”

Evidently, the body language of embattled PDP Chairman Shows is more interested in leading the party to doom instead of repositioning the party. The defeat in 2016 Ondo state governorship election can be attributed to his backing for Jimoh Ibrahim who distracted Mimiko and party’ candidate-Jegede with court cases before the election. Sheriff has been seen in public events with APC Leaders and even attended closed door meetings with ruling party members in the midst of crisis.

Without doubt, the lack of leadership figure like sitting President, respected elder like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other power broker such as Atiku Abubakar who can maneuver different factions to work together in the of the party also led to the Saturday’s drama. The governors are now too powerful, as there is nobody to call them to order.

Failure of party leaders to reconcile warring after losing presidential election also contributed to crisis rocking the party. The party is yet implement report of Reconciliation Committee led by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Many members were still angry with way party leaders in the state chapter treated them during and after primary elections ahead of 2015 general elections.

Nigerians are also missing the role of vibrant opposition played by APC before winning Presidential election. PDP has not been giving APC led regime any headache on issues of policies and programmes.  Nobody challenged federal government when they removed subsidy on petrol in May 11, 2016 by increasing the price to N145 per litre. Other issues such as minimum wage, frustrating FOREX, instability in the economy, lopsided appointment by current regime among other issues critical to the wellbeing of the citizenry are now at the mercy of federal government.

Lack of credible opposition is not good for emerging democratic like ours, so PDP must resolve their difference in order to play their new role effectively.

The poser now is that can the party who once boost that they will rule Nigeria for 60 years return to power in 2019. PDP’s victory in Osun West Senatorial election might be the beginning of new dawn, if all stakeholders work together to ensure the victory of the party in next general elections.

Oyewale Oyelola, is a journalist, writes in from Lagos