The political atmosphere in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general election is that of uncertainty, anxiety and discontent occasioned by the waves of intense crisis that have continued to envelop the opposition party.
Dark clouds are hovering over the PDP, especially as those at the centre of the crisis are critical stakeholders who have the political sagacity to make or mar the party’s chances of reclaiming power in 2023.
Presidential amnesty programme: as the next level beckons
Governors’ creeping censorship on democracy
Since the party was thrown out of power in 2015 by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), it has consistently been entangled in epic crises that tear it into shreds. One such was the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff vs Senator Ahmed Makarfi legal battle over the control of the party at the national level.
With the infighting occasioned by what pundits attribute to lack of internal democracy, many Nigerians say the PDP has failed to play its opposition role properly, responsibly and satisfactorily.
Since the change of guard on the political scene in 2015, the dream of many Nigerians is to have at least, one or more credible opposition parties that will checkmate the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, despite the existence of about 18 registered political parties, the hope for one that can at least, have some bite, lies in the PDP because of its longstanding might while it held sway as the ruling party from 1999 to 2015.
But now when the party is in the news, it is mostly when tongues are wagging over the lingering crisis in its fold.
Pundits have argued that this is because those who are involved in the crisis have refused to shift grounds and allow peace to reign, despite the proximity to the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.
What continues to baffle many is the inability of the founding fathers and various organs of the party to take decisive actions to nip the infighting in the bud.
Wike, Ayu at daggers drawn
Historically, the current crisis in the opposition party was triggered by the failure of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to clinch the party’s presidential ticket during the party’s primary poll held on May 28 in Abuja.
Wike had contested against a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and 11 others but lost to Atiku, who is the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 poll.
Pundits say what aggravated the situation was when Wike later indicated an interest in the vice-presidential slot but was denied, as Atiku and the party’s top echelon picked Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate.
Wike and his political allies had fumed over the development and vowed to ensure the party does not know peace in the build-up to the 2023 polls.
Several reconciliation meetings within and outside the country over the issue had been deadlocked as Wike had refused to shift grounds.
Specifically, the Rivers governor is demanding the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, for the sake of what he describes as justice and fairness.
Wike is arguing that the party cannot have a presidential candidate and national chairman from the Northern region concurrently. This is in addition to another reason deduced by some party leaders that Ayu played a key role in the emergence of Atiku as the party’s apex candidate, an allegation the PDP helmsman has dispelled.
Crisis worsens with G-5 formation
The crisis in the PDP got worsened a few weeks ago sequel to the formation of a group of aggrieved governors who are members of the party called the G-5 governors, led by Wike.
The aggrieved G-5 governors are; Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Daily Trust reports that the PDP has 13 governors, APC (22) and APGA (1).
The aggrieved PDP governors have joined Wike in demanding Ayu’s resignation, insisting that they would not deliver their states for Atiku in 2023 if the PDP helmsman did not throw in the towel.
Recently, the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, called for Ayu’s resignation, “for the people of the South to feel a sense of belonging in the party.” Makinde made this call during a South-West PDP stakeholders’ meeting.
Will Governor Bala pitch tent with G-5?
Another colour was added to the crisis rocking the party when the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, and the top echelon of the party in the state wrote to the national leadership of the party demanding an apology from Atiku.
They claimed in the letter that some party leaders loyal to Atiku had embarked on anti-party activities to stop Bala’s re-election bid.
Bala claimed in the letter that Atiku was “sidelining” him and had threatened to “teach him a lesson” for contesting against him (Atiku) during the party’s presidential primaries in May.
Mohammed had contested against Atiku in the May 28 primaries held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, where he was defeated alongside 11 other aspirants.
In a move seen by party stakeholders as compounding the crisis in the party, Governor Bala Mohammed met with Wike and his camp in Bauchi last Wednesday.
The governor, who met with his aggrieved colleagues, said he was supposed to be part of them because he was highly connected with the G-5 governors.
The governor also went into a closed-door meeting with his colleagues which lasted for hours. This was after Bala had already met with Atiku in Abuja on a separate day.
There were reports that Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, had resigned as Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council following the unfolding events in the party but the governor dispelled the claim on Wednesday.
Atiku’s chances/PDP’s future
With the festering crisis in the opposition party’s fold, many Nigerians are beginning to wonder if the party can still put its house in order to reclaim power in 2023.
A political analyst, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, however told Daily Trust in a telephone chat that it was difficult to know what the impact of the aggrieved governors’ support or no support would be on Atiku’s chances.
He said, “Well, it is difficult to say. I think there are two issues. If the governors do not support him, it will create a challenge in terms of the votes he will get.
“But the second point is that we don’t know whether these governors are going to be able to make their people vote for someone else because governors can only advise their people to vote in a certain way and there is no guarantee that the people will follow the advice of the governors.
“So, one of the issues in this country is that we always assume when governors advise on how to vote, that the citizens will follow what the governors say. But that is not always the case. That is why it is difficult to know what the impact of their support or no support would be.”
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had said he would not support or work for Atiku’s victory in 2023.
“My people are being killed, and you want me to be quiet? My tenure ends in May, and you can do whatever you want if you think you have the powers. I will never support a Fulani man becoming president. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him,” he said.
Ortom spoke days ago when he hosted the aggrieved governors to a dinner at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Wike had earlier said his team would not campaign for Atiku because he had allegedly appointed enemies of Rivers State into his campaign council.
He said, “The presidential candidate has chosen enemies of the state as members of his campaign council, even me the governor of the state I do not have any input. If anybody did not accommodate the interest of Rivers State, we will also not have their interest at heart.”
The governor spoke while addressing party stakeholders and supporters in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the Rivers State PDP campaign rally recently.
Political observers say if Atiku fails to win the election this time, he would retire from contesting future elections because of his age and other sundry reasons.
But a former deputy national publicity secretary of the PDP, Prince Diran Odeyemi, told Daily Trust in a telephone chat yesterday that the party’s future is bright and intact.
He said, “There is no political party that does not have a crisis in its kitchen; that is the nature of politics. But I can tell you that 24 hours is enough time to heal the wounds.
“Anything can happen at any time. In as much as we continue to hold meetings, the crisis will be settled. I can assure you that the future of the PDP is bright and intact.”
However, it is left to be seen how the political imbroglio in the party would be treated by its handlers going into the February 25, 2023, presidential poll.
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