November 07, (THEWILL) – The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has successfully conducted its National Convention and elected a new executive that will lead the party to the 2023 general election and conduct its affairs for the next four years. To political analysts and observers, the party has scaled the first hurdle and its triumph, in terms of the unity of purpose displayed at the convention, may have reinforced its hope of becoming the next occupant of the Aso Rock Villa, having occupied it for 16 years at a stretch (between 1999 and 2015).
The use of consensus and elections to decide the composition of the new executive, some observers believe, has also shown that the present PDP is a more coherent and stable political party. Eager to see how this description fits the party, many political observers are also waiting on the wings to see how the PDP will navigate the ‘more dangerous river ‘ of choosing its standard bearer for the 2023 Presidential election.
The Convention
The PDP Convention was held at the Eagles Square, Abuja, between October 30 and 31, 2021. Political observers have described it as successful due to the carnival-like atmosphere that was devoid of rancour, which was common during elective conventions of political parties in the past.
At the convention, Prof Iyorchia Ayu, who had earlier been chosen via consensus, was affirmed as the new National Chairman of the party.
Others elected alongside Ayu in the PDP National Working Committee are Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum; Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; National Treasurer, Ahmed Mohammed; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro and National Women’s Leader, Prof Stella Effah-Attoe; National Youth Leader, Muhammed Suleiman; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; and National Auditor, Okechuckwu Daniel, among others.
The elected officers are products of zoning and micro-zoning arranged by the party. This was adopted to bring a sense of belonging to all zones and areas of the country.
Most members of the new executive are also products of consensus arrangement. But where consensus could not be reached in a few positions like the Deputy National Chairman North and South, an election was conducted.
Following a failed attempt to persuade a former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to step down for a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja, PDP governors ensured that state delegates were mobilised for the latter. At the poll, Arapaja got 2,004 votes to defeat Oyinlola, who polled 705 votes, while a total of 165 votes were declared invalid.
The wife of late former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Hajia Inna Ciroma, also refused to step down from the race for the National Deputy Chairman (North) in favour of Umar Damagum. At the end of the election, Damagum polled 2, 222 votes to beat Ciroma who got only 365 votes.
Governors emerge power brokers
One outcome of the PDP National Convention was the emergence of state governors as the top financiers and power brokers of the party.
All the convention committees were headed by the governors. Also, all the new members of the National Working Committee were on the governors list. The few that were not elected through consensus, also won their elections by a landslide.
Political analysts and observers believe this development is dangerous for the party as the elders and founding fathers of the party are being relegated to the background. They believe these elders may be frustrated into quitting the party, which would still need their input in future elections.
It would also be recalled that the former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was billed to speak at the convention, failed to attend. Although, he was said to have an official engagement outside the country, but some people close to him said he was not comfortable with the domineering posture of the PDP governors in the affairs of the party.
Speaking with THEWILL, a public affairs analyst based in Abuja, John Mayaki, said the governors had hijacked the PDP and anybody who desires any position in that party must receive the blessing of the PDP Governors Forum led by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
He said, “The governors’ emergence as power brokers within the PDP may be the beginning of a crisis as they may also insist that one of them will carry the party’s flag in the 2023 presidential election.
“This may frustrate other presidential aspirants in the party. In fact, the convention has showed that you need to get the backing of the governors to get any position in the party. Look at the humiliation given to Oyinlola, who was even a former governor of the party. Between him and Arapaja, who should be picked if the governors are sincere and love the progress of the party?
“So what I am saying is that one of the governors may emerge as the party’s presidential candidate and you know that about three of them have already indicated their interest to contest”.
The way forward
Still basking in the success of the party’s National Convention, many PDP Leaders are optimistic of a good outing in the 2023 presidential election. Most of them have expressed the opinion that the days of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Aso Rock Villa are numbered.
For instance, former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, noted that the PDP would reap a bountiful harvest from the crisis bedeviling the APC. He said that some members of the ruling party had been planning to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party, ahead of the 2023 general election.
Saraki also hinted that there would be a gale of defections. He said, “We have the potential to turn the country around and that is why I believe with the right leadership, things can change in the country. I often say that no one can give whatever he does not have. In 2023, we have to get it right and to do that, we need the right kind of leadership.
“We already knew that some state governors would leave. We were not surprised that they defected to the APC. Since then, we have had some bigwigs that joined us.
“Aside from that, we know that some of the leaders in the ruling party will not defect early. Instead, they will do it late. You saw that during the 2015 election. So, keep watching. Nigerians will not be surprised when they begin to see some defections from the ruling party to the PDP.
“On the question that if I decide to run and don’t get the ticket, would I defect? I think that is not really fair. In 2015, I ran for the presidency and didn’t get it, but I offered myself to be the Director-General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation and I worked hard.
“I’m a team player. Personal ambition is not what the issue is today; what is important is to get this country right. I have my children and grandchildren and we must leave a better country with jobs for our talented youths. The fact that I said some people would defect does not mean I would defect.”
The new PDP Chairman, Prof Iyorchia Ayu, also boasted that the party would rescue Nigeria from the mess that the APC had plunged the country as he dared the ruling party to conduct a national convention, which he pointed out might never happen because the APC has 92 chairmen in 36 state chapters of the party.
Ayu described those who imagined that the PDP would break up at the convention as dreamers and assured that the party was poised to reunite all parts of the country.
“When we started this party 23 years ago, we never in any way imagined that the journey will get us to this stage, a stage where we ruled for 16 years. We went into rough times, but for anybody who will bother to see, the PDP is back. The PDP is back to rescue Nigeria from the terrible mess we have been in the last six years.
“Many people imagined that this convention would lead to the breakup of the PDP. Those people were dreaming in wonderland.
“We will move ahead to develop this country. We did it before. We are going to do it again. I believe the other party can never hold a convention because even state congress they cannot hold. They have produced 92 state chairmen for 36 states. How can they hold a convention? We are watching. This is a challenge to them. Let them come and hold a successful convention, which the PDP has done. This is a quit notice. PDP is back and is taking back the country to develop it,” he said.
Also speaking with THEWILL, a member Board of Trustees of the PDP and former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said Nigerians are looking up to the PDP to rescue them in 2023. He said the party with its new executive should not disappoint the people, ”Our party will bounce back and we will provide the right leadership for the country. We are going to win the next presidential election and ensure that Nigerians enjoy new life,” Babatope said.
One contentious issue that the PDP’s new executive may find it hard to handle is whether to zone its presidential candidate or throw it open to all the six geo- political zones.
The party had zoned the national chairmanship to the North, while it left the slot for presidential candidate open. Many southern PDP leaders are now calling for the zoning of the presidential candidate of the party to the South.
Speaking with THE WILL, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, said zoning is about equity and fairness.
“There is an old, enlightening principle laid down by the founding fathers of our party since 1999 that six key positions must always be zoned to the six geo- political constituents of our nation to ensure equity and orderly balance of power.
“The six key positions are the President, Vice president, National Chairman, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
“Naturally, this means that if the Presidency goes to the North, the Chairman of the party goes to the South and vice versa. These positions are zoned because of the necessity of national belonging and accommodation. Every section of this nation must have a sense of equitable participation in our national life. This has been the enduring pivot of our democratic experience since 1999.”
He further said, “There is now threat to this unwritten doctrine. The zoning arrangement, which gave the North the chairmanship of our party and leaves the Presidency open is incongruous, unwholesome and a recipe for disaster.
“Once the chairmanship is now in the North, the presidency must come to the south. There must not be any ambiguity at all. This should be crystal clear. Hanging the presidency in the air like a hovering craft without a landing zone is dangerous, unfair and wrong.”
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
