Rebuilding PDP Needs Equity and Clean Hands
It does not take much to rebuild the Peoples Democratic Party, writes Abubakar Ibu-Mohammed
The 60-year rule, predicted by some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), came to a premature ending on 28th March, 2015, following the party’s defeat at the presidential election that day. Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has since handed over to General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A number of factors contributed to the woeful performance of the PDP and many of its candidates in all the elections, namely: Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly. The first was complacency fuelled by the false impression that the party was unassailable. What gave rise to this illusion is best answered by Chief Vincent Ogbulafor and Dr. Amadu Ali, both of whom were former National Chairmen of the PDP. They boasted and, perhaps, truly believed that the party would continue to win elections.
But the winning game has abruptly changed. There are no more winning ways. The entire scenario changed under the chairmanship of former Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, the acclaimed “game changer”. Why couldn’t the game changer sustain the tempo of the boast, at least for another four-year term?
Not only did Mu’azu fail to secure victory for the PDP, he was accused of superintending over the defeat of the party. So, he had to go. His resignation did not come quickly, quietly or easily. There was intense pressure on him to throw in the towel. Initially, he resisted the pressure.
That was when the entire National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was being pressured to resign. But the NWC members rallied support for one another. They resisted the move by party leaders and members to push for their sack. The general perception was that the NWC mismanaged PDP’s electoral fortunes by taking actions that were inimical to the wellbeing of the party and its members.
The second factor that contributed to the failure of the PDP in the general election was the fielding of unpopular candidates by the NWC members through primaries that were highly compromised. In fact, there were reports that some members of the NWC collected millions of naira from aspirants in various states across the country to manipulate the primaries in their favour.
Unpopular candidates were, in the process, given tickets at the expense of good ones, who felt aggrieved and had to leave with their supporters for other parties. The greatest beneficiary of the defection was the APC. The implication for the PDP was a crushing defeat in the elections for which Mu’azu’ had to resign.
However, Mu’azu’s resignation should not be the end of the story. Following the PDP’s defeat, there have been suggestions and strategies on how to rebuild and reposition the party for its role as a viable opposition party, and in preparation for the 2019 general election. For this purpose, the party needs general cleansing and overhauling.
So, if Mu’azu had to resign as National Chairman, other members of the NWC, particularly those who committed various acts of bribery and anti-party activities, have no justification to stay a day longer. Sadly, many of these men and women are still keeping their seats in the NWC.
Some of the details of acts committed by these NWC members against their own party are mind-boggling, horrible and morally reprehensible. The question that led to Mu’azu’s resignation is whether it is true that he betrayed the party and its presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan. Is it true that Mu’azu undermined Jonathan during and after the election?
Tragically, the guilt of some members of the NWC is more than that of Mu’azu. Not only did they betray the PDP by working against its electoral interest, they were alleged to have received financial gratifications from aspirants to facilitate their tickets at the party primaries.
It happened in Adamawa, Borno, Imo, Delta, Anambra, Abia, Benue, Plateau and other states! Was there deliberate sabotage of the party and its electoral chances by these NWC members, especially those who were financially mobilised to work for the party but chose to divert the funds into their private pockets? If that was what happened across the six geo-political zones, is it fair to have sacrificed only Mu’azu? Shouldn’t the entire NWC, as presently constituted, be dissolved so that the process of repositioning the party can begin on a clean slate?
It amounts to a huge joke talking about rebuilding the PDP, with an NWC headed by Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who is himself part of the questionable order. Such a body is not morally armed to reposition the party. As it is, Secondus is expected to act as National Chairman for two months. By July ending, a new National Chairman will emerge from the Northern part of the country to succeed Mu’azu in a substantive capacity.
Neither Prince Secondus nor any of the NWC members such as Dr. Kema Chikwe or Olisa Metuh has the moral pedigree to renew the confidence of those, who have lost hope in the PDP. It has been alleged that some of these men and women had been involved in various acts of corruption in the administration of the party. If true, they should give way for clean hands.
Those who have sold the PDP for personal gains cannot play any positive role in its repositioning. What the party needs is clean set of members comprising loyal and committed persons, not those who have soiled their hands. The PDP has an abundance of men and women of integrity who can undertake the task of rebuilding the party.
So, if Mu’azu had to resign as National Chairman, other members of the NWC, particularly those who committed various acts of bribery and antiparty activities, have no justification to stay a day longer. Sadly, many of these men and women are still keeping their seats in the NWC. Some of the details of acts committed by these NWC members against their own party are mind-boggling, horrible and morally reprehensible