M E TA M O R P H O S I S O F P D P
of the party and its presidential aspiration is concerned.
But in the meantime, the most pressing concern of all in the party is not just how to assume the role of the opposition party but play it with the kind intellectual zest and political finesse that are required in the new age that the advent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has introduced into the body polity.
Naturally, this is much of a very unfamiliar turf for the PDP. From May 29, the PDP will start a new life altogether as an opposition party. Should anyone be reminded that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, PDP had been the ruling political party with majority at the National Assembly and a majority control of the states and their legislature? No.
Such an intimidating domination was the reason, evidently, that a former national chairman of the party, Vincent Ogbulafor boasted that PDP would rule Nigeria for 60 years. Although he had been jocularly quoted to have recanted that he meant 16 years (since they both sound the same), PDP seemed to have it all going well.
But by May 29, the APC would step in, now as the ruling party, controlling the centre and the National Assembly as well as 22 states and their legislatures. This is just a distinct swap of roles between the PDP and the APC. Instead of President Jonathan calling the shots from the Presidential Villa, the former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari would step in as the new helmsman.
This is no doubt, an unfamiliar terrain for the PDP. But how prepared is the PDP to occupy this new role with just 13 states and playing the minority role at the National Assembly? Perhaps, the only way out for the PDP is to ensure at all times that there is the supremacy of the party’s constitution and jettison the era of impunity.
But the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh and many others in the party believed that there was nothing unfamiliar for the former ruling party than to simply pick up its ruins and forge ahead in a democratic manner, where the constitution of the party would play a very significant role.
“We are ready as a political party and as politicians. Our role as an opposition political party may look daunting but PDP will play it perfectly. In the first place, we shall ensure that the party is reformed along the dictates of the rule of law where party supremacy will come first above all other considerations. Then we’ll rebuild and then strategise and believe me, by 2019, PDP will bounce back to the centre as a formidable force,” he said.
On the contrary, the APC believes that the PDP has to undergo some tutelage. As a veteran opposition party for 16 years, the APC had sometime ago opted to give PDP free crash programme on how to play the opposition, especially on publicity issues. The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lai Mohammed said the basic role of the PDP as an opposition party is that it must start from a zero budget.
It urged the PDP to stop being “a crying baby” and come to terms with the “cold, hard reality that its fortunes have since plummeted” and that it is now in opposition. APC said it was not worthwhile for the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to devote time on unnecessary issues “when it should be strategising about the daunting task ahead of it,” adding that it showed the PDP still did not understand the weight of the challenges awaiting it as an opposition party.
“We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition. A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in the opposition, where there is nothing to loot or rent to collect,” the APC said, advising the PDP to understand that it was not by repeating obvious lies that an opposition party could be effective, but “by being creative, knowledgeable, resourceful and above all credible. It is not by cheap blackmail, but by being resilient. This is why we wish to extend to the National Working Committee of the PDP a free orientation, just as we have offered the party’s spokesman a free crash course on how to be an opposition party.”
The APC spokesman in further taunting the PDP said the theme of the orientation for the PDP NWC members will be ‘transiting from the ruling party to an opposition party’.
Unfortunately for the PDP, a majority of its members have started to jump the gun, apparently unable to play the opposition. Many chieftains of PDP have defected to the APC, making the APC to caution the defectors to stay in their parties. “In the first instance, there is no substitute for experience. Also, we believe that democracy will be deepened only when there is cooperation between the governing party and the opposition, hence the offer,” the party said.
The party also enjoined members and leaders of PDP to stay where they are and rebuild their party to play its new role as the main opposition party. It called on PDP to come to terms with its role as an opposition party, saying it is not even waiting to be approached before fleeing to the APC.
According to Mohammed, “PDP leaders and members are falling over themselves shamelessly and swearing undying allegiance to the APC. Well, in case they did not get the message of the President-elect and our National Chairman, we want to repeat it in very blunt terms: PDP leaders and members, you are not welcome in APC. Please stay in your party, but if – as we suspect – you cannot survive in opposition, then, take a walk, quit politics.
“The truth of the matter is that the PDP is scared stiff of being in opposition. We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition. A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in opposition, where there is nothing to loot or rent to collect.”
But Metuh has dismissed such insinuations, saying the party would provide a decent and credible opposition that would constructively proffer sound alternatives to the policies and programmes of the in-coming administration without recourse to insults, propaganda and deceit.
Metuh said PDP would not emulate APC that heaps insult on the outgoing President Jonathan, saying “PDP would never insult or denigrate the office and person of the Nigerian President. The PDP is a political party built on values, tradition and utmost respect for democratic tenets. Our manifesto and ideology center on national peace, stability and prosperity and we shall uphold this at all times. In this wise, the PDP as always, will continue to work in the general interest of the Nigerian people.
“We will not resort to insults, blackmail and lies with the aim to distract or ridicule the person or office of the President. However, we must state in very strong terms that we will not allow them to lead the nation astray. So, we will firmly oppose any anti-people policy and programmes as may be introduced by the APC. We will do this by presenting sound alternatives in such a manner that Nigerians will be the utmost beneficiaries especially on issues that will lead the nation in the path of national unity and development,” Metuh said.
Although the case of the PDP may not be like that of the AD in 2003 when the party lost five states to the PDP, the party is just starting off as an opposition party, funding may not necessarily be a problem to the PDP. The reason for this is not farfetched.
Unlike the AD that looked upon Lagos State for funding, PDP as an opposition political party will to a great extent look at some of the rich oil states of Rivers, Baylesa, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers and Delta State for their major sources of funding. Though out of power, the party can still boost of rich billionaires that would adequately fund the activities of the party.
If the PDP will depend on membership levy and drive, funding would not be a problem for the party after all it is still the biggest political party in the south of the Sahara. That it lost the presidential election should not be the main factor to judge the PDP. The party should come to terms that it swung against the tide of Nigerian politics.