By DESMOND EKWUEME
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GEJ, IBB Wield Massive Influence
●As
Nine Battle for National Chairmanship Seat
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It's Between the South-West & South-South
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Party Chieftains Say No To Imposition
The
People's Democratic Party (PDP) will hold its convention in less than 24hours
at the Eagle Square, Abuja to usher in a new NEC/NWC, a new order, a fresh
breathe of air, a new beginning and possibly a "new dawn". But will
the party get it right this time especially in the face of a court order to
stop the convention?
PDP
has been riding from one crisis to another. Since after the party was swept out
of power by the APC tsunami in 2015, it has been struggling to find its rhythm.
From the interim National Chairmanship tussle won by Ahmed Makarfi to the
present battle for a substantive NEC/NWC the umbrella has continued to dangle
under a very stormy and raging atmosphere created by the enemies within.
Yes,
the major trouble of PDP is its inability to identify intruders who are on a
mission to hijack the party, destroy it and leave it to yesterday's story! The
party has been infiltrated by persons angling for positions and power to help
in the 007 job of finishing what is left of the rags hanging on the handle of
the umbrella.
A
couple of weeks ago the very unfortunate story of missing millions of the party
sent a signal of a group of persons suffering from "chronic
pilfering" to the public. The picture painted by that story is "are
these the guys Nigerians should take seriously in 2019?"
Fresh
from that crisis of missing money, one should have thought that PDP's eggheads
would have resolved the issue of who leads the party as National Chairman into
the 2019 general election to calm strained nerves and create a trustworthy and
believable aura around the party, at least in the minds of the masses who
incidentally are the nucleus of the electorate.
Ironically,
those acting as the party's eggheads do not carry enough weight to knock
estranged, disgruntled and agitated party members into line/shape. Though
former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida
have waded into the fresh crisis of who becomes National Chairman but party
chieftains opine that the duo could be doing their bidding by attempting to impose
a candidate on the party.
"We
gave Jonathan the privilege, honour and respect to handpick Ahmed Makarfi
during the contest with Ali Modu Sheriff for the interim chairman position but,
that won't happen this time around especially when we consider that two
candidates for this post are from his zone. What we did in Makarfi's case was
to create a conducive atmosphere for us to understand ourselves and plan
better," says a chieftain of the party from Lagos State who spoke to me on
ground of anonymity.
He speaks further, "Now that we are going into election campaign year, it is a different ball game. As stakeholders we won't allow the interests of two men to override our collective dream and ambition. PDP has gone beyond a party controlled by an individual or just two persons. We want to return stronger and better come 2019. In doing this, we must start with a bold step by bringing the interests of all on board," He concluded.
He speaks further, "Now that we are going into election campaign year, it is a different ball game. As stakeholders we won't allow the interests of two men to override our collective dream and ambition. PDP has gone beyond a party controlled by an individual or just two persons. We want to return stronger and better come 2019. In doing this, we must start with a bold step by bringing the interests of all on board," He concluded.
With
hours to the election, nine candidates are already in the ring even as they lay
claim that their geo-political zones have not produced the National Chairman
since the party was formed. Former Minister for Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran
who is a candidate has accused Makarfi of trying to favour another candidate.
He reminded Makarfi that the South West has never produced a National Chairman
of the party. This position was also maintained by High Chief Raymond Dokpesi
who is also contesting the position.
According
to Dokpesi who spoke while on campaign train in Abia, "it will be very
democratic if someone from the South South is elected to lead our great party
in the next four years. I offer myself for this position because I think I
possess all that is required to take our great party to the next level."
With
the South West and South South geo-political zones battling for the top
position, it could only imply that the umbrella could further be torn into
shreds if things are not properly managed in this NEC/NWC election. Those
defeated or asked to step down for preferred candidates of the eggheads could
take up the broom to further compound the woes of PDP talking about defecting.
Aside
Adeniran and Dokpesi other candidates for the top job include Jimi Agbaje
former governorship candidate of the party in Lagos, Rasheed Ladoja former
governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Adedoja, a former Sports Minister also hails
from Oyo State, Olabode George, former National Vice-Chairman of the party
South West, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun State, Uche Secondus,
former National Vice-Chiarman of the party South South and Segun Aderemi.
One
can only pray for a better opposition perhaps through the PDP if it can put its
acts together, for the governing party APC to be on its toes which help sustain
and deepen the roots of our democracy. A sound opposition will bring about
checks and balances, healthy criticisms and entrench the values and principles
of true democracy. Goodluck PDP...
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