Will PDP survive gale of defections?
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is in its worst times since it lost power in 2015. The erstwhile ruling party is hit by a gale of defections, raising questions on whether it would survive the tide. Our correspondent x-rays into how the scenario may pl
The tale of the PDP has not remained the same after 16 years of being in power. The party’s abrupt exit from the corridors of power in 2015 sparked off grave consequences to its very existence as it is enmeshed in a deep leadership crisis.
Party chiefs blame the development on impunity, disregard for party constitution, imposition of candidates, lack of internal party democracy and jettisoning of the zoning arrangement before 2015.
Apart from leading the PDP to another defeat in the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections last year, the brawl within the party has caused another tide of mass defection to the ruling APC.
Analysts say even if the crisis is finally resolved at the Supreme Court, the PDP would have to contend with the challenge of persuading its prominent members who dumped the party to return in order for it to make a significant impact in the nation’s polity, specifically in 2019.
Others, however, believe that the APC to a large extent, has an axe to grind by manipulating the crisis to bring the leading opposition part down to pave way for its smooth victory in 2019.
In the first quarter of this year, a former senate president, Ken Nnamani, who earlier dumped the party, announced his membership of the APC. A former governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, also left same day, saying he had no apologies. Similarly, Senator Nelson Effiong of Akwa Ibom South dumped the party.
On February 1, Senator Andy Ubah who represents Anambra South, left the PDP for the APC on the ground that only the ruling party had the ideology he needed to tap to and provide quality representation to his constituents.
Similarly, a former governor of Plateau State and chairman, senate committee on public procurement, Senator Joshua Dariye (Plateau Central), also left in September last year, citing divisions in the PDP.
Again, a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, had pitched tent with the APC, same as a former governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda.
Some lawmakers in Kogi State also recently dumped the PDP. The defecting lawmakers hinged their action on the squabbles at the national leadership of the party.
The Speaker, Ahmed Umar, said the members who joined the ruling party in the state were John Abba (Ibaji), Adoke Bello (Adavi) Majority Leader of the House, Matthew Kolawole (Kabba Bunu), Ahmed Mohammed (Ankpa 1), Victor Omofaye (Ijumu) and Kekere Abdulkareem (Okehi).
Just before the elections, a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, dumped the PDP and tore his membership card in a dramatic fashion, saying he ceased to be a partisan politician but preferred to be seen as an elder statesman.
Senator Atiku Bagudu who was at that time representing Kebbi Central and Samuel Ortom who was the Minister of State for Trade and Investment also left for the APC. Both picked governorship tickets and won the Kebbi and Benue States governorship polls on the APC platform.
A former governor of Edo State, Oserheimen Osunbor, also quit the PDP for the APC.
In Jigawa State, a former governor, Saminu Turaki and a former deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel, were among many others who dumped the PDP for the APC at a ceremony in Gumel.
Senator Muhammad Baban Beta who represented Jigawa North-west Senatorial District from 1999 to 2003 and Senator Muhammad Dudu who represented Jigawa North-East Senatorial district from 1999-2007 on the PDP platform also left. Many other chieftains of the party have equally left.
Political pundits are particularly worried that those leaving the party are high profile politicians who understand the workings of the nation’s polity and commanded respect in the PDP, thus, their absence would not augur well for the party.
Various reasons have been deduced for the exodus. The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, recently said PDP members leaving for the APC were hungry for appointments and contracts, stressing that they