The apparent lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) albeit it is not out of place in a political setting, is becoming a serious cause for concern for many observers and citizens desirous of positive change in Nigeria especially against the backdrop of the looming 2023 general election. No doubt, the forthcoming presidential election in 2023 will define the future of this country as a united political entity. The result of the election may make or mar the nation. Therefore it is incumbent on the main opposition PDP to approach the election with the seriousness the assignment requires. It is not out of place to state that Nigeria has been balkanized along religious and tribal lines by the divisive, revanchist and exclusionist policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) thereby necessitating the need for a change to save the country from total collapse. Nigerians have tasted both PDP and APC and realized wistfully that PDP is much better than APC despite the attempt by some ‘mischief-makers’ to classify both parties as the same. As it is generally acknowledged, the APC performance in the last seven years has been woeful and calamitous and their woes going into the 2023 electioneering was compounded by the choice of party flag bearer whose bag is full of scandals. It is therefore expected that the PDP leverage on this prevailing favorable circumstances to reclaim power at the center and pull Nigeria out of the political logjam, insecurity and economic morass the country has been plunged into.
I believe the party started well preparing for the 2023 presidential election. The choice of the party’s presidential flag bearer bears an eloquent testimony to that. Looking at it dispassionately, the choice of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (GCON) as the party’s presidential candidate is the right step in the right direction. Atiku is eminently qualified for that position and he is obviously the most qualified to wrestle power from the ruling APC group. Atiku is a seasoned political war horse with wealth of experience behind him. He has made invaluable contributions spanning over three decades for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. He has what it takes: the charisma, the clout, the wherewithal and the network to fight for power. He is not new in the game. A choice of a minnow would have swamped the party’s chances at the polls. It is generally believed that Atiku won the 2019 presidential election, but was subverted through electoral malfeasance perpetrated by the APC, and will win the 2023 presidential election.
No doubt, the choice of Atiku did not go down very well with ruling party for obvious reasons and with some godfathers, political demigods and drones that believe the country is their personal estate. These people are apprehensive of the pervasive influence of the former vice-president in the Nigerian political space and would want to do anything including smear campaign and instigating crisis within the party to stop him. And within the party, there is internal wrangling at present but not on the candidature of the Wazirin Adamawa but on the choice of his running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. Chiefly among those opposed to Atiku’s choice of running mate is the Rivers State governor Yesom Wike who believed he was the rightful person to run with Atiku having come second in the party presidential primaries. Wike has been talking tough, granting press interviews and issuing provocative statements denigrating the decisions and the person of the PDP presidential flag bearer. It is reported that while effort is being made to resolve the said conflict within the party that Wike is attacking members of the party bigwigs in Rivers State that are loyal to Atiku and is hosting members of APC officials preparatory to decamping to the party. These are clearly an affront on the party and the party’s standard bearer.
I do not in any way blame Atiku for his choice of running mate. It is his prerogative. Wike was quoted after the primaries to have said that he did not want to be anybody’s deputy. Wike must be thought to be humble and circumspect for pride goes before a fall. The position he occupies now is temporal; he will not be there forever. He needs PDP more than the party needs him. There may be an allurement for him to defect. If he does, he will kill his political future forever. I know that those who foolishly crossed to APC for fear of EFCC probe must be ruing their decision now. Atiku has chosen his running mate and Ndigbo have endorsed it because Okowa has humbly identified with his Igbo roots. Wike said he is not an Igbo so choosing Wike will not guarantee Igbo votes. Atiku has explain the rationale behind his decision to choose Okowa and it is acceptable. He is out to unify the country.
Wike must be told in clear terms that he is no mates with Atiku. When Atiku was contesting against the likes of M. K. O. Abiola in the 90s Wike was carrying bag for Odili and Ada George. Where was Wike when Atiku and Alex Ekwueme formed the PDP? When Atiku was the elected vice-president of the country in 1999 Wike was still carrying bag for Odili, the elected governor of Rivers State scheming to be appointed local government chairman. It is therefore unfortunate that he is attempting to persecute the likes of Omehia, Austin Okpara, and Chibudom Nwuche and others who were obviously his political seniors for their association with Atiku. It is indeed unfortunate!
While it good to bring him back to the fold, it is also important to remind him that the party is not his personal property and that the party can continue to exist with or without him. He must be taught to drop his childish braggadocio and overweening tendencies and face reality. I will advise Wike to throw away his petty ego and face reality. He really has to work on his ego and attitude. It has caused him the PDP presidential primary, denied him the VP slot and it may lead him into political oblivion sooner or later if he tries to defect to APC.
And for those of them in PDP responding to external inducement, I have said it for umpteenth time that the issue at stake is beyond the individual. If you are truly patriotic you must realize that the main issue here is survival of the country. From all indication, this country may be no more if you repeat the mistake of 2015 and allow the continuance of APC regime. So, you have to close ranks, bury your differences in order to be able to shoo away the APC’s apartheid regime that has kept the country sick and recumbent in the past 7 years.
Gozie Irogboli
goziei@yahoo.com
