…as new chairman steps up peace moves
Jonathan, Makarfi, Atiku speak on way forward
With victory now attained, the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, assumes duty at the Wadata House party headquarters in Abuja, with a mandate to pass the litmus test of returning PDP to power, come 2019.
But before making moves and devising strategies to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, pundits believe that there are internal challenges which Secondus must first conquer.
In the front-burner, they say, is the ongoing reconciliation move to win back aggrieved members of the party, especially those who lost out or felt cheated in the party Convention that produced Secondus as chairman.
Though, former President Goodluck Jonathan had led the reconciliation moves to win back the aggrieved members, sources nonetheless hinted that leaders of the party from the South West region were not pleased with the newly constituted party’s Executives, especially as the governors, led by Rivers’ Nyesome Wike, were accused of installing their stooges by hijacking the Convention with mega bucks.
We made mistakes, but we put our nation first. APC is blaming previous governments, instead of solving problems. Let the PDP get winning again, so that it can get working for Nigerians again
GEORGE, ADENIRAN STILL AGGRIEVED
An indication that Secondus’ peace moves is yielding result at snail’s speed was the visit to the Abuja home of Chief Olabode George shortly after the Convention.
One of George’s aide, who was at the meeting, said his principal, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, had lost interest in the affairs of the PDP and might soon retire from the party.
But other sources are of the view that George may be on his way to the APC, since PDP is no longer in his control.
One of the party members from the South West, who was at the peace meeting, said, “Prince Secondus appealed to George not to feel aggrieved as everything was mere politics and that they should not lose sight of the most important thing, which is to unseat the APC.
But Chief Bode George criticised Wike for making a disparaging comment about the Yoruba before the Convention. Wike said he was sorry if anyone felt slighted but he meant no harm.
“Chief George told him to find a way of assuaging the Yoruba, who felt very bad with the way they had been treated. He told Wike that the APC was already exploiting the Yoruba issue and that if it was not addressed properly, it could affect the PDP’s electoral chances in the South West in 2019.”
On the part of Prof. Tunde Adeniran, another chairmanship contestant, it is believed that it will take extra efforts to appease him, as the former Minister of Education reportedly believes some governors in the party had erred against Yorubaland.
A member of the Oyo State chapter of the party told our correspondent that “despite the said reconciliation moves, Adeniran was ready to leave the new executives of the party to sail their ship freely without his interference.”
SECONDUS AND THE 2019 TASK
If, however, he succeeds in his peace mission, the next item on the agenda for Secondus would be how to ensure that the party picks a strong presidential candidate for the 2019 election. Although the Rivers State-born politician may be treading on a familiar turf, having once served as chairman of the party in acting capacity, challenges of the leadership role at this critical time cannot be over-emphasised.
Secondus has served as the Organising Secretary and Acting Chairman before his current role. But the position of chairman is expected to be more challenging.
His first litmus test, of course, is reconciliation with aggrieved party chieftains and members, especially those from the South West, who felt short-changed in the process that saw his emergence as chairman.
Many of the party faithful are in a hurry to return to power in 2019, and with the party’s poor outing in the last general elections, which saw its 16 years rule terminated by the APC, it would be foolhardy for the party and its stalwarts to repeat errors that led to their ouster in 2015. And this is what Secondus is expected to salvage as the new captain in charge.
A statement from the Media Office of the Secondus Campaign Organisation in Abuja affirmed that the majority of members of the PDP want to be in power in 2019, and as such, would not allow learners of political party rudiments to steer the affairs of the party at this time.
The statement, which was signed by the Media Director, Ike Abonyi, said, “The party, after suffering all the distractions from Sheriff’s unfortunate interventions, is anxious to hit the ground running, to cover lost grounds and launch the party to winning ways once again.
“Secondus’ experience and disarming human relations are the most potent ingredients for him now because of the urgent harmonious environment the party would need immediately after the convention to confront the challenges ahead.”
For the new chairman and his team, they must start to put in place mechanisms that will create a formidable opposition to the ruling APC.
Of course, the party may be confronted with recalcitrant traducers, who are most likely to malign its efforts, but the onus falls on the chairman to harness appropriate resources at his disposal to wrestle power from the ruling APC.
Secondus fought a hard contest but there are more hurdles to scale before the party would be cruising to power come 2019.
Former President Jonathan, for instance, recently led a team of party leaders to make reconciliation moves to the South West.
We made mistakes, but we put our nation first. APC is blaming previous governments, instead of solving problems. Let the PDP get winning again, so that it can get working for Nigerians again
NEED TO PLACATE THE SOUTH WEST
Many of the party chieftains have been aggrieved by the permutations that led to the emergence of Secondus. It was believed that the position was initially zoned to the region, but calculated strategies, however, saw the initial proposed scheme thwarted.
A former Lagos State PDP governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, said, “The South West is aggrieved. It should be pacified.”
A chieftain of the party from Osun State, Chief Tunde Odanye, said reconciliation with the South West would restore its lost sense of belonging and erase the feeling of marginalisation.
The determination of the majority of the stakeholders of the party is for it to return to power at the centre, which is the basis of the aspiration by Secondus for the office of the national chairman.
Reconciliation with aggrieved aspirants, especially Chief Bode George, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and a few others, may be difficult at the initial stage, but it is not insurmountable. The onus is on the chairman and the reconciliation committee to reach out to the chieftains, party stalwarts, their associates and supporters, and appease them to accept the olive branch and work together in the best interest of the party.
Secundus’ first litmus test will be next year when he leads his party out at the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun. The results of the elections in Ekiti, where the PDP is the ruling party, and Osun, where the PDP, as opposition party, clinched a senatorial by-election, will determine the future of the PDP under his leadership.
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2019 presidential election, Secondus has to be more proactive and circumspect in fielding party flagbearers, observers have warned. He is expected to play the card wisely so that the best candidate and running mate with wide acceptance are chosen. This, no doubt, calls for accommodation of defectors.
RECEIVE RETURNEES WITH OPEN ARMS – MAKARFI
As new members arrive, there will be a need for the harmonisation of party structures to accommodate their interests and ambitions. On this premise, a former national caretaker committee chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, urged Secondus and his executive committee to open the doors of the party to the returnees and ensure that they do not suffer from any disadvantage.
Already, at least, four gladiators have indicated interest in the presidential ticket, with more aspirants expected to join in the race.
Will the governors, who have been accused of imposing a chairman, allow a transparent, hitch-free, and credible presidential primary? Will the same allegation trail the party’s primary election for presidential ticket or not, if at all it will hold? These and many more are questions agitating the minds of political pundits.
Makarfi said the NCC had laid a solid foundation for Secondus to build upon. Looking vibrant and agile amid rumour that he is a potential presidential contender, Makarfi said in his valedictory remarks, “We have laid a good foundation for the repositioning of the PDP,” advising the new leadership to consolidate on the gains.
He said the ball was in the court of the post-convention reconciliation panel, headed by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, to listen to the various grievances, ventilate them and reconcile them with the party. He also urged the new executive committee to always ensure a level-playing ground for contestants in the future, to avoid fresh problems while trying to resolve new existing challenges.
WE CAN BOUNCE BACK IN 2019 – JONATHAN
In his reaction, former President Jonathan, while reflecting on the 2015 electoral tragedy that hit the party, said the PDP could bounce back to power in the 2019 poll, if its house was put in order.
Jonathan, who urged party faithful to keep the hope alive, accused the APC of persecuting top opposition chieftains.
He advised them to endure the pains and resolve to forge ahead with determination. He said the winners must promote a culture of inclusiveness by carrying along those who lost at the Convention, adding that the party could only regain power as a united family.
He said, “PDP should remain at the forefront of leadership by example. I urge members to continue to support the party. PDP has become a strong voice, a reference point as the nation moves closer to another election season. It is growing from strength to strength. Defectors are coming back. There is a reunion.
“PDP is the only stable party that has not changed its name and identity since 1999. It continues to make promises and fulfil its promises.”
LET’S WORK FOR NIGERIA – ATIKU
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who dumped the ruling party and is now back, said the PDP must convince Nigerians that past mistakes would not be repeated.
“We must work to earn the trust of Nigerians. If we get power, we should use it to work for Nigerians,” he said.
Atiku lamented that, despite the party’s achievements in 16 years, it lost power because it made mistakes, saying, “We made mistakes, but we put our nation first. APC is blaming previous governments, instead of solving problems. Let the PDP get winning again, so that it can get working for Nigerians again.”
Noting that the poor performance of the APC would make Nigerians vote for the opposition party in 2019, Atiku said, “Under the APC, Nigeria is not working and our workers are not working. APC promised three million jobs and under the ruling party, Nigeria lost three million jobs. Under the PDP, Nigeria was
united.
“Under the APC, Nigeria is disunited, more than it was during the civil war. APC promised restructuring, it has denied promising restructuring. PDP waged war against corruption; APC is waging war against the opposition.”
The Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, said the peaceful conduct of the Convention meant that the PDP was on the march again, and ready to return to power in 2019.
As it appears that the right pegs are beginning to be put in the right holes for the opposition PDP, Secondus has to technically deploy his political expertise and experience in the moves, if indeed he is ready to lead the party back to power in the next general elections.
