Column
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| By Paul Okolo |
FOR the People’s Democratic Party, Nigeria’s ruling party for 16 unbroken years, the journey since it lost power last year has been swiftly downhill. Following the epic March 2015 Presidential elections in which opposition All Progressives Congress flag bearer Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, the party’s fortune has gone from bad to worse. Though many saw the electoral defeat coming, it was still earth shaking when the handwriting was finally on the wall. Revelations of primitive stealing of public funds by party members in government brought odium on the party that may yet do incalculable damage.
The party that once boasted it would dominate Nigerian politics for 60 years was easily swept away by the broom-wielding APC. With its reputation, or what was left of it destroyed, the PDP also witnessed an exodus of its followers to the new party in power. But rather than picking itself up from the cesspit and beginning a dignified process of self cleansing in order to properly function as the new opposition party, it appears to be sinking deeper into the abyss. In a manner similar to the bad behavior that cost it the 2015 polls, the party is now engulfed in a struggle for power that may lead to its demise. At least three factions of the party are laying claim to being the rightful occupant of Wadata Plaza, its national headquarters. One faction is led by former Borno State Governor Senator Ali Modu Sheriff; another by former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Maikarfi; and the third by the former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu.
Trouble started to brew after Sheriff, formerly of the APC and the All Nigeria People’s Party before it, surprisingly emerged as national chairman. Some ranking PDP members, shocked by the development, set out to reclaim the party and situate it in the hands of one of their own. This is in keeping with a Yoruba proverb which says it’s impossible for the head of a new-born child to be deformed when an elderly person is in the market. But Sheriff wouldn’t relinquish power quietly. The situation deteriorated when thugs loyal to the warring groups resorted to violence in a bid to gain access to the headquarters, prompting Police intervention.
What is disheartening in the development is that there seems to be nobody of repute who can rally the PDP troops and contain the situation. President Goodluck Jonathan who controlled state and party affairs from 2010 until May last year would have been a natural choice to steer the party away from self destruction. But he is busy globetrotting, getting used to his new role as an international statesman. When he’s not on an African Safari, he’s on a speechmaking engagement or receiving awards here and there. It doesn’t appear the internal affairs of the PDP are causing him sleepless nights. Former PDP President Olusegun Obasanjo also can’t be approached to arbitrate for obvious reasons. Long before the last elections, he had publicly torn his party’s membership card and had even started receiving hordes of opposition politicians at his Abeokuta residence. For a party that controlled the centre for about two decades, it would be assumed that there can’t be a shortage of men and women of caliber to mend things when they’re broken. In the case of the PDP, you’d be mistaken if you held that view. Other power brokers who could have offered wise counsel have either been brushed aside or are themselves principal actors in the circus show.
If there’s no breakthrough soon, the PDP’s descent may be unstoppable. Nigerians, desirous of a virile democratic system, should be worried by this prospect. Without a strong PDP, observers believe the new ruling party may become complacent, even arrogant. It was former Governor of Lagos State Bola Tinubu, one of the founding fathers of the APC, who was quoted as saying that a worthy opposition party is the first step toward progress as it will help “to ensure the sanctity of the ballot box, foster respect for the rule of law and to build (enduring) democratic and economic institutions,” all of which are essential for this important African country. Where there is no viable opposition capable of putting the ruling party on its toes, impunity is likely to set in. To prevent such a scenario, we need to have the alternative side to the government’s story all the time. This is a serious task that only a focused party can perform. The PDP must put its house in order before it can effectively play that role.
PDP leaders can learn a lesson or two about sacrificing personal ambition for the general good from Tinubu and other architects of the mega party called APC like President Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. If they fail to quickly put the current crisis behind them, it’s likely that more PDP members will cross over to the APC or form new parties as some party activists are already suggesting. The end result is a weakening of the PDP that will cost it the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states coming up later this year. Finally, if nobody or group succeeds fixing the party, ordinary citizens and civil society organizations may have to step in to ensure the country doesn’t become a one-party dictatorship. It’s in our enlightened self interest to help the APC government serve us better.
— Jun 27, 2016 @ 19:20 GMT
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