Internal party discrepancies in Nigeria's political history is not a new occurrence. In the 1950's just before independence, a regional political party of the Western Assembly was engulfed in serious party conflict that saw the Action Group breaking into components of factions.
Most of the time, intra party conflicts are hinges on lack of internal democracy in political parties and a decline in efficiency of governance cohesion.
In this situation, certain organs of political parties are been compromised by money bags who in turn hijack the party and it ideals; thereby making ir difficult to adopt an open system which allow party members to participate in decision-making and unhindered opportunity to contest in elections within and outside the party using the party’s platform. Such restraint has increasingly resulted into crisis, party wrangling, political apathy, decamping, war of attrition, hostility, accusation, grievances and anti-party activities.
It is against this background that i wish to state in this article that the Peoples Democratic Party is not in any way free from party conflict especially the one currently rocking the soul of the party. Since inception, certain party Cabals who contributed resources to the formation of the PDP feels they owned the party, hence their endless rascality and gangsterism in the system. The cabals commands so much respects and powers and always wanted their whims and caprices to be the order of the party. Because of their tight grips on the party, their was palpable frustration, disorderliness, blackmail, indiscipline, dis-unity and acrimony.
The implication of the PDP past misdeed is the reason the party is still in turmoil till this day. Although it can be stated in clear terms that the real war of attrition in the party emerged immediately after the cabals imposed Umaru Yaruadua as it presidential candidate. Things begin to go sour when the cabals sees the clear handwriting in the walls that its not going to be business as usual. It is on record that immediately the duo of Yaruadua and Goodluck came on board, they ensures that these cabals are silenced and placed in the best position they belong. They were strip of the enormous power they wield in the party. In the milieu of these face-off, the cabals fired a deadly salvo from their enclave all their bids to still remain relevant in party affairs.
After the sudden demise of Yaruadua, certain microcosm of same cabals within the Yaruaduas', kept vice president Jonathan at abeyance. Again the party cabals arose to the occasion to ensure the doctrine of necessity was followed. In my thoughts, they cabals are pursuing an agenda not a patriotism course. But as usual, the man GEJ kept them at arms-lenght and became even more merciless to the cabals. There was a total relegation of the cabals to the background and this to my mind was the last straw that breaks the camel's back.
In fighting back, thesame cabals begins a destructive criticism and hate speech that now incite party faithfuls against GEJ. This led to massive cross-carpeting and some of the cabals, publicly tearing their membership cards. At the end, the cabals achieved it aims and today, the rest is history.

THE WAY FORWARD

The PDP as a matter of urgency must unite quickly and purge itself of the present wrangling. The unity of the PDP is highly need especially at this critical point of our national life otherwise, democratic institutions built for over sixteen years stands the risk of been destroyed completely by the rudderless APC.
There is need for urgent reforms in the following areas:

ZONING AND INTERNAL DEMOCRACY

The zoning arrangement in the party should be modified. There should be a shift from the old older of recognizing only major ethnic groups as against the minority. The minority ethnic group should and must be put into full consideration in the zoning arrangement. In fact, the status of zoning should reflect all the six geo_political zones of the country where the minority zones are allowed to vie and contest for elections into any political position.
The party cannot be talking of reform and still be indulged in rascality or imposing candidates. All party members should be given considerations in decision-making proces of the party.
The party should internalize democracy into it fold so as to checkmate cross-carpeting and political normadism. It is apparent that some decampees may not be anything more than political flirts, the belief is that a majority of cross-carpeting is rooted firmly in reaction to how party faithfuls were been treated. Cases abound of questionable substitution, disqualification and reversal of nomination of previously screened
and cleared candidates by an interplay of party intrigues, power display, culture of impunity and disregard for fair play and internal democracy.
Therefore, the PDP must work assiduously to enthrone internal democracy into all organs of the party.

RECONCILIATION

At this juncture, the warring factions of the party must unite as a force and shield their swords. Alhaji Alimodu Sherif and Mr. Makarfi should return to the negotiation table. Sherif camp should not be perceived as enemy, rather be viewed from the perspectives of the collective challenges that has lived with the PDP which they failed to address over the years. Imposing candidates which incidentally Sherif became it beneficiary. Is it the crass impunity and indicipilpline to mention but a few. It will be right to state here that the PDP is paying dearly for it past sins of imposing candidates.
The reconciliation process should be continues and the Sherif's camp be persuaded and schooled on the need to mapping out a workable resolutions that will return the party to the path of peace and prosperity. I will also advised that that the Sherif's camp be accommodated into the highest decision-making organ of the party. This must be only if the Sherif's camp have not been hijacked by the APC as been speculated by political watchers.
By so doing, the Sherif's camp will feel some sense of belongings under the umbrella again.

SANITY AND PARTY DISCIPLINE

To ensure the smoothness of party affairs, sanity must return to the party. Sitting govnors should let go of their grips on party structure and allow the party to guide their programmes and ideologies for the electorate. If need be for amendment of party constitution, it should be altered as soon as possible and in line with party ideals. The constitution of the party must be respected by all members whilst party constitution is placed above individual's interests. Party faithfuls must and should be law-abiding.

Long live the PDP!

By EnEnPeecee