The latest crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suggests that except the party treads with caution, it may fizzle into oblivion, reports STANLEY NKWOCHA

For 16 years, it bestrode the Nigerian political space like a colossus, holding firm to the centre and at all times, having the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly as well as the highest number of governors in its fold. So strong was the party that at a point, it seemed that all what that was needed for candidates to emerge victorious in an election was just being the party’s candidate.

This is the story of the once formidable Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This year’s general elections might have come and gone, however, the ripples from the elections are still fresh and sadly also distasteful on the lips of many PDP stalwarts. The humiliating defeat the party suffered in the hands of the newly formed All Progressives Congress, (APC) has, no doubt, turned the table against the once domineering party.

With the 2015 general elections, the PDP has become an opposition party as the APC prepares to take over the governance of the country.

Since the conclusion of the elections, it has been exchange brickbats and, of course, unprecedented blame game among chieftains of the out-going ruling party, so much that the head of the party’s chairman is being called for.

The trouble is said to have been taken to a new level when, at a meeting of stakeholders of the party on Wednesday April 29, 2015, with the president, chairman and the entire PDP governor’s in attendance, as the national chairman of the party was said to have come under serious attacks by the governors who asked that he out rightly resigns.

First to allegedly pounce on the chairman was the governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, who was said to have made it clear to Mu’azu that he expected him to have come with his resignation letter to the meeting.

As some other governors aired their discontent with the national chairman, other stalwarts branded him a mole of the APC. They unanimously demanded that he submitted his resignation letter not later than two weeks or face a vote of no confidence by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

“The stakeholders called for the complete dissolution of the national working committee. Each of the serving members of the working committee was asked to submit their resignation letters to the political godfather that brought them into the position. A deadline of less than two weeks was given to all the members. Any of the members who are found to be resisting the submission of the resignation letter will be faced with a vote of no confidence”, a report suggested.

The battle for the soul of the party took a turn for the worse when documentary evidence detailing how members of the National Working Committee of the PDP allegedly shared millions of naira just after the presidential election which President Jonathan lost on March 28, 2015.

Internal vouchers showing that the party’s NWC members carted away over a quarter of billion naira in unexplained fees to themselves on April 8, 2015 have since been released to the public by those bent on sending the NWC away.

“The monies, which were paid out of the party’s Zenith Bank account number ending with 6016, revealed that the party’s national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, was paid N100 million through Julius Berger PLC while the deputy chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, received N40 million.

“The documents provided by the Presidency also revealed that the PDP’s national secretary, Adewale Oladipo, got N30 million. Other members who allegedly got N30 million each include Buhari Bala, who is national treasurer of the party, Bolaji Akpan Anani, national financial secretary, Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary, Adeyanju Fatai, the party’s national auditor, Abubakar Mustapha, national organizing secretary, Kema Chikwe, national women leader, Victor Yusuf Kwon, national legal adviser, Hussaini Maibasira, and the deputy national secretary, Onwe Solomon, “ another report stated.

As these were going on, the national chairman of the party and his colleagues have sworn not to leave office saying they would complete their statutory term in office.

National publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh who spoke in defence of the party’s national chairman and the NWC members said it was wrong for the NWC to be so singled out as the architect of the party’s misfortune.

Metuh, in response said the payments was made to assist NWC for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections that took place on April 11th 2015, adding that, “Since the Presidency was more concerned about transparency, the Presidential Campaign Organisation should publish how it gave out N700 million to each state and most importantly how the Presidency spent Nigeria’s resources in the last six years.”

But Ekiti State governor, who is largely seen as one of the major arrow head insisted that the NWC must go.

In a release by his special assistant on Public Communications and Media, Fayose said he believed that it was proper for Mu’azu and the rest to back down.

“If it remains only me, I will continue to defend the course of this party because some people are born to stand up at difficult times, and I believe I am one such people born to stand up for the PDP at this difficult time.

“How do we explain the PDP losing so scandalously in Bauchi State, despite the presence of the national chairman, the FCT minister and the state governor?

“I am even more particular about the national chairman because he sold the party to the opposition. I have cogent evidences of his unholy alliance with the opposition before the elections and if they go any further, I will expose all his underhand deals.

“I want to say it again that I have no apology for calling for the resignation of the NWC members, especially the national chairman. After all, someone resigned his position as the national chairman for Mu’azu to assume office.

“Lastly, let me say it categorically that they can only attempt to destroy this party for the moment, not forever. Sooner or later, they will all fade away and PDP will rise again”, Fayose said.

However, Mu’azu, in a statement issued by his media aide, Tony Amadi, declared that no organ of the party should try to extricate itself over the misfortunes that befell PDP, adding that those calling for his sack should perish the thought.

“The developing culture of using and dumping has reached fratricidal proportions in the PDP and it must end. You cannot be changing chairmen and NWC every year and still have cohesion which is a vital ingredient of winning.

“The result of the 2015 presidential election is the elixir the Peoples Democratic Party needs to reinvent itself and retake power in 2019 instead of wasting time and energy mudslinging and blame gaming over the party’s failed bid to win a fourth consecutive presidential election victory.

“Our game plan is to provide a virile opposition to the new government which we have already graciously given a lifeline by conceding defeat and avoiding a calamitous battle in the courts.

“Despite losing our dominance in the National Assembly, our party has the largest number of experienced legislators in both chambers and will surely be calling the shots there. We will, however, help to reduce the imminent issue of learning process occasioned by the horde of inexperienced APC members in both houses because of national interest”, the PDP chairman stated adding that the present national officers of the party would run their statutory three-year tenure.

The crossroads at which the party is at the moment is ably captured by Senate president, David Mark, who has warned that except the party stakeholders sheathed their swords, the PDP faced extinction.

“PDP is already hemorrhaging. Unless we halt the bleeding and find the necessary therapy, we may be heading for the final burial of the party”, Mark said.

He added: “The party is already in a comatose status and we should do all we can to resuscitate the party rather than this unnecessary rancour and bulk passing. The emerging factions are absolutely unnecessary. The combatants must sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue.

“My appeal is that we should not do anything further that would damage the already fragmented house. Everybody should come together and rebuild the party. We have gotten enough bruises. We need not inflict further pains on ourselves with continuous bickering.

“Enough of this blame-game. We should return to the drawing board and need not wash our dirty linen in the public anymore. I believe that a useful lesson has been learnt from the PDP electoral misfortune. As for me, it is time to put on our thinking caps and chart a new course”, Mark advised.

Is Mark’s warning rife or is the PDP again in a family squabble? These indeed are not the best of times for the party that once prided itself to rule Nigeria for 60 years.

 Source: Leadership