[dropcap]P[/dropcap]DP is dead. That is what everyone who shared the view of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had disingenuously muttered without probable logics. Of course, this cannot be said to be true because people do not fight over a dead organisation. The very reason the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is in crisis today is because there is something worthy of fighting for. The raging battle to control, arguably the most lucrative political organisation in Africa, has disproved such misguided postulation of a dead party.
Every human organisation is fallible and has its own downtime, moments of crisis and period of travails. Recently the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa celebrated 105 years of existence. Interestingly, it has only ruled for 23 years, starting from 1994. This means that for 82 years, the party was not in government and it did not die even when it was banned for decades by the apartheid government. It is a standard; challenges are inevitable, and survival depends on how the problems are managed. It is difficult for a national party like the PDP with a pan-Nigerian philosophy to die by the mere pronouncements of mortals like Obasanjo.
PDP is barely out of power for two years. The party is bound to experience mistakes in making choices and falter in taking decisions, especially in the process of operating as a top opposition party for the first time since 1999 when this fourth republic started. Imagine a party that operated by the rule of men and wallowed in 16 years of executive fiats foisted largely by Aso Rock for picking the bills, as against operating strictu sensus by the book – the PDP constitution. It is certainly going to find it difficult to cope outside power in the immediate even though, the problems are self-inflicted. A party that was sustained by culture of money is going to find it difficult in an environment where the currency is sense with some level of political activism.
Without any doubt, the PDP is seriously encumbered by leadership crisis and entangled by power play. Frustration is turning into nightmare for its members nationwide, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mischievously announced a time-table, further complicating the woes of the party for want of time. While it may be difficult but not impossible for the party to return to the summit in the foreseeable future, it would be absolutely wrong to pronounce it dead on account of the intractable leadership conflict between factions. This is far from it.
The legal tussle to determine the correctness of the May 21, 2016 national convention of the party where the Senator Ahmed Makarfi was constituted is in its final stage of court action. The Supreme Court is expected to adjudicate on the matter anytime from now. There is however a growing desperation to have political solution sans the Supreme Court judgement. Some party members are eager to see this impasse resolved amicably for a unity convention soonest, but there is a festering mistrust between the political gladiators because of the breach of the past. The allegation that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the leader of the other faction, betrayed a political solution in the past appears to be hunting another attempt at a political solution.
That is why the latest rapprochement for a political solution by the Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State-led Reconciliation Committee has been suspected as hasty and lacking the trust of all sides. It is the contention of Makarfi and the mainstream of the party that the Dickson’s committee which was set up in April 2016 by Sheriff had become functus officio and overtaken by the outcomes the Port Harcourt convention. As far as they are concerned, there was no new committee constituted by the party under Dickson and saddled with the responsibility of finding a political solution to the leadership problem.
Let me say emphatically at this juncture that while political solution is desirable and inevitable either now or after the Supreme Court judgement, it is curious to see a strange committee emerge from the blues to table recommendations to party members. As a matter of concern, the Dickson’s committee, after it was set up to resolve the leadership problems in some states before the May 21 convention, either did little or nothing to implement the mandate given to it by the party. The question now is: how did the committee now transmute its mandate to fit into the present situation? This has further complicated matters. But as it is, the Makarfi’s group may have finally put their absolute trust in the verdict of the Supreme Court to have a way forward.
By the way, there appears to be an end in sight to the legal aspect of the tussle as a reinvigorated Supreme Court under the leadership of Justice Walter Onnoghen is expected to fairly adjudicate on the matter anytime from now. The apex court is certainly buoyed by a new Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is a stickler for rule of law, the constitution and uncompromisingly so. It is expected that the apex court, which is usually the justice chamber for opposition parties in a democracy, would see through the legal riddles and expeditiously do justice to truth. This would enable the PDP to avoid submitting conflicting lists for the coming local government elections in Lagos and Benue States.
But whichever way the final verdict at the apex court goes, it is expected that it would compel a cul-de-sac on all factions to search for a more convincing political solution that could help to resolve other leadership predicament and teething problems at the states level. Nigerians need the PDP to check the excesses of the fumbling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre in the absence of a powerful third force. The PDP still has an edge over any other party in Nigeria as the most nationalistic in content and reach. The APC was formed principally to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan at all cost, but without the basic agenda of what to do with power.
2019 is very dicey. In the absence of another mega party or a powerful third force, the presidential election is going to be a straight fight between PDP and APC. There are so many factors that could be responsible for the victory of a party at the polls in Nigeria. Since it is becoming unlikely President Muhammadu Buhari would seek a second term due to his ill health and old age. This is going to make the process open and very tough. Therefore, with this kind of projection, Baba Obasanjo should agree with his pricking conscience that he had wronged a party that gave him so much and should tender an unreserved apology. PDP is not dead.
Ariyo-Dare Atoye (Aristotle) is a good governance advocate. He can be reached by email HERE. He tweets from @AriyoAristotle.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
