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Political parties:  Conventions, the issues and odds

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The road to the 2023 general elections might appear quite a distance for some Nigerians, but to the political gladiators, it is now or never, it is indeed  a race for  time which is of essence because it involves early preparations  and putting in place the required political machinery, deployment of human and financial capital including the best strategies for the execution of a project that could define who gets what and how within the Nigerian political landscape.  KENNETH DARENG. Writes

 

SATURDAY, November 24,2021, the main opposition party, the Peoples  Democratic Party [PDP], seemed to have blown the shofer signalling to the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC], and other registered political parties in the country that it is ready for the battle of the titans come 2023, and that was why the party  mobilized a chunk of its political stalwarts of who is who in the party including delegates drawn from across the 36 states of the country and the FCT, Abuja,  to its National Convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja which saw the emergence of  a one time Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu as its National Chairman.

The PDP convention also witnessed the election of its new National Executives Committee (NEC) some which were either by consensus or contestation. Although the convention was generally peaceful, there were other salient issues that seemed to have been kept  under the carpet. SUNDAY STANDARD monitored the event and was able to find out that, apart from the celebration mode, smiles, handshakes, sharing of banters among the big guns in the party, the singing and drumming by supporters of various political aspirants. However, there was one notable figure who was supposed  to be part of the convention but was conspicuously absent and  that person is no other person than former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Also absent was former Vice President Namadi Sambo. These figures are key players  who are expected to navigate the PDP to recapture power in 2023. This development  further heightened the speculation that the former president may be defecting to the ruling APC  very soon.

And if that happens, the PDP may suffer a severe political earthquake that would    shake its foundation especially having lost the support of founding members like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was reported to have publicly tore his membership card years ago, and the likes of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida and their loyalist who had for many years now kept a distance from the party.

Then there were  matters that aroused  from the geo-political zones micro-zoning of the positions in the National Exco of the PDP which it was gathered did not go down well with some party caucus such as that of the Senate and House of Representatives and state Assemblies whom SUNDAY STANDARD sources said, complained about the role and complete hijack of the process which was mainly dictated by the PDP Governors.

A member of the PDP who spoke with SUNDAY STANDARD under anonymity said; ” It is sad that our party, PDP has not learned its lessons which it has been proven by it not considering women in the scheme of things. Imagine the lack of inclusiveness of women in the National Executive Committee as constituted at the convention.  Even the bold attempt by  Hajiya Inna Chiroma was blocked by the male politicians. How can we now say we are democrats and don’t the women interest at heart.”

Another question begging for answer is the issue of Uche Secondus, the suspended National Chairman of the PDP who had sequel to the party’s convention filed a suit challenging the legality of the convention before the determination of the case against his sack from the chairmanship position which the case is still pending in court. Such is seen by Barrister Tanko  Abdullah, who barred his mind to SUNDAY STANDARD saying, such situation if not properly handled by the main opposition party is  one aspect that could throw the spanners into the wheels of the PDP convention outcome.  According  to him; ” You cannot just wave Secondus  away without being bruised. He is an experienced man who  having held various positions at both the state and national levels knows how to play the game and also knows weakness of the PDP. He is capable of causing a set-back if he is not taken seriously.”

However, some political pundits argue on the ground that after losing three governors in quick succession, several members of the National Assembly, as well as other key stakeholders of the party who had defected to the APC, suddenly realized that  maintaining Secondus as  National Chairman of the PDP, the party was heading towards the dooms day and needed a quick-fix by replacing him as the only solution.

Meanwhile, some members of the party have expressed the need for urgent reconciliation of aggrieved members of the party as a fall out of the convention considering the fact that 2023 is not far fetched and with governorship elections coming up in some states soon. The worry of  some party stalwarts like Joseph Mamman, a  member of the PDP in Tudun Wada Ward, Jos North, said” The party needs a lot of outreach to its members across the country, Look at what denied our party’s  participation in the just concluded local government elections in Plateau State as a result of misunderstandings among the leaders of the PDP in the state. We need a complete rebranding of the party if we are to convince Nigerians to vote for our party.”Mamman noted.

Interestingly, there appears another big challenge for the PDP with the emergence of new blocs which has a strong influence on the entire party structure. This strong forces are bent on wrestling power from the old guards who are mainly the founding members of the party.

The presidential ambition of some PDP Governors like ;Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Bala Mohammed of  Bauchi State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, may likely pitch them against the formidable blocs of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former  Senate President Bukola Saraki, as well as Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State etc, may due to either regional bloc interests  likely cause ripples in the party even before 2023 elections.

According to Tony Okowe, of THE NATION MIDWEEK POLITICS  of Wednesday, November 3,2021, wrote that; ”It was gathered that many governors are currently working hard to block all areas of strength of former Vice President  Atiku Abubakar and others who are believed to be eyeing the Presidency and are not supported by the governors.”  The implication for the party is that, there could be more fireworks within the PDP which will be decisive on the preparedness of the main opposition in going for the 2023 race.

As the PDP convention dust settles down, SUNDAY STANDARD  investigation revealed that despite the slogan of the opposition to ‘rescue’ Nigeria from what many of its speakers said at the National Convention, several people have also argued that, even with the current lapses being experience within the present APC  government in certain areas, the PDP’S odds is that, the party has  a lot of trust  burden on its shoulders and that means it may require a lot of convincing to most Nigerians do not want risk falling into another trap of mal administration as witnessed during the 16 years of PDP rule.

Furthermore, what may also be of a difficult puzzle for the PDP  to unravel. The issue of age may likely put former  VP Atiku Abubakar who has the financial muscle and connection  on collusion with other younger aspirants.  Atiku is now approaching 80 years and the question is; are Nigerians ready for that?

On the side of the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC], it is billed to also have its National Convention any moment  from this month. And as it is expected, the party’s convention is not going to be different with that of the other parties in terms of rolling out the lists of consensus candidates or contestations there could be some members who may want to test their popularity in the APC at the convention.

As usual, it is predictable that the Presidency, Governors and other power brokers will determine the choice and shape of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC.  SUNDAY STANDARD  gathered, there are consultations and political horse, trading going on within all the geo-political zones to see how the positions can be micro-zoned to across the country.

The biggest challenge for the APC is that, it is going into the 2023 Presidential election without the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari on the ballot. Therefore, all eyes are fixed as to what kind of National Exco the APC  would come up with and which zone will produce the National Chairman of the party and then who becomes the flag bearer of the APC in 2023.

Sources close to SUNDAY STANDARD indicate that, the major hurdle for the APC now is how to persuade Asiwaju  Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who had been speculated to be the main presidential candidate of the party to drop his ambition due to health and age challenges. How that plays out will also determine which way the party would retain power at the presidency.

There are names being speculated as possible contenders for the party’s ticket among them is former  President Goodluck  Jonathan, whose body language indicates his soul is with the APC  while his plan defection may be on the table. Others being considered are current  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Kayode Fayemi, Chairman, Nigerian Governor’s Forum [NGF] and Governor of Ekiti State,  Rotimi Ameachi, Minister of Transport  who was Chairman, Buhari Campaign Organisation in 2015 and 2019. Others include; Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State and Prof. Babagana Zulum of Borno State. Etc.

The  APC  could be going into its convention jittery party with a feeling of caution knowing fully well that any slightest slip at this stage could jeopardise the fortunes of the party. Although the APC had in the recent past made significant gains with the defection of three PDP Governors such as David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Prof. Ben Ayade of Cross River State , Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State including top politicians from other political parties. Perhaps, such may create more clashes of interests depending on the level of trust and inclusiveness at the National Convention. The advantage the  APC seem to enjoy, is seeing what the PDP convention was able to achieve and also leverage on that with more innovations and perhaps better organization.

Nigerian democracy is basically the democracy of those that belong to the clique of kingmakers called ” The Establishment” They are those with  the deep pockets , contacts and means and that grants them the sole right next to God to anoint who they deemed fit. And no matter how public- spirited an individual can be, the highly wired political tension cable may not be an ideal place because it is highly monetized and controlled by the godfathers. The resultant effects is that such interests are inherent in the political parties which often ends with lack of internal democracy and imposition of cronies over merit and selfless service.

The bottom line however is the crisis of choosing leaders at such conventions whether it meets with the basic needs of a cosmopolitan Nigeria that is having a deficit of energetic, brilliant and committed  crop of people with the desire to serve their nation but the mode of selection is still far from credible, free and fair by all standards.

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