As Easy As PDP (To Defeat) By Sonala Olumhense


BY SONALA OLUMHENSE NOV 15, 2014

Is there really an electoral contest in Nigeria next February?

Yes, the electoral commission, fulfilling its constitutional duty, has listed an election on its calendar for that month, but it is really a referendum on 15 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in charge of Nigeria.

The event should be re-cast as a festival, a celebration of the opportunity for Nigerians to regain their dignity by inflicting on the PDP the most lopsided defeat in modern democratic warfare.


I do not mean that 2015 should be seen as the coronation of another party simply because it claims to be in opposition, but that it is an opportunity for Nigerians to reaffirm their dignity and express their indignation at the polls.

The PDP should be easy pickings, but anyone seeking to replace it should show imagination. The PDP has already shown cause.

Everyone, including the PDP, knows that Nigeria has become the butt of jokes around the world on account of its character as a looting gallery.

If you do not know they are laughing at Nigeria, that is probably because you lack literacy skills, not because you are in the PDP. There is no reason on earth why a party that is held in such contempt for various reasons ought not to be humiliated out of relevance with at least 80% of the popular vote.

This is the report card it has earned in 15 years of malice and malfeasance. [b] This is the precinct not even of politics, but of common sense: if someone hurts you, you seek vengeance, or avoidance. If someone loots your family, you want your heirlooms back, and you want the thieves in prison.

If someone insults your mother, or rapes your wife, or kills your sons, or abducts your daughters, you do not give him the keys to your heart: you want him dead and his carcass thrown to the hyenas. You do not give drink with him. You do not give him a bed in your home. You do not let him gloat about his exploits.

There is no other way to describe what the PDP has accomplished in Nigeria. Under its watch, Nigeria has moved from a nation of hope to one of doubt; from one which enjoyed the respect—sometimes admiration—of other countries to one that is now routinely called names.

Under its watch, Nigeria has moved from a nation which labored under gross mismanagement and overwhelming corruption to one where they are now merely an opinion. [/b]

Under the watch of the PDP, reports are merely to be written, not implemented; a budget just a speech to be read, not an obligation to be fulfilled; and good governance is just a concept, not a principle. Was there ever a report by a Presidential Projects Assessment Committee about at least 11,886 projects? Do the many reports about the rot at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have any relevance to the quality of life of the people?

Did anyone ever debate former Minister Oby Ezekwesili over her allegation that that $67 billion left by the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government has been squandered by the current one? Yes, the government removed Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi, but did anyone ever establish whether the NNPC actually failed to remit to the federation account from 2012 to 2013 the sum of $50 billion? $21? $10?

If nothing is clear, that is exactly what is intended by the PDP because in no enquiry can the party and its practices face the facts.

Under the watch of the PDP, Nigeria has ground to a halt, even to a fraction of its size. In full view of the PDP government, intrepid militants are taking over Nigeria, village by village, child by child and town by town, chasing Nigerians out of their homes and out of their country.

Under the PDP, Nigeria is giving away everything: self-respect, territory, refugees, children, dreams.

Under the PDP, propaganda is the only mission in order that it might look immensely better than it has accomplished.

A transformation was promised four years ago, but in its place, Nigerians got a Tantalization Agenda. Fifteen years ago, the Nigerian president and his wife enjoyed their healthcare in European hospitals; today, the Nigerian president and his wife enjoy healthcare in European hospitals.

But perhaps what is worse is what no longer exists: 15 years ago, Nigerians could travel around their country in relative safety; today, they are told to travel by air.

The country is in disrepair and in division, but what may be called the future is considerably worse unless the PDP is crushed by Nigerians so that it may be re-invented by those who care.

I do not know who will contest against the PDP, but it is an easy, almost unfair, battle. Between the popular disenchantment and the divisions within the PDP, there is no reason why it should not now lose more than 70% of the electoral gains it held in 2007.

What is exciting about 2015 is that many of the parties outside power can exploit the PDP’s scorched-earth incompetence, lootocracy and abysmal arrogance over the years. The challenge is to go where the PDP does not, and will not go: directly to the voters whom they have betrayed

The choice could be no clearer: the offer of hope where only despair exists, and where the only other choice is hopelessness. This is the time for the Nigerian voter to invest in his own dignity and future. The PDP has had 15 years, and Nigerians who are not dipping their hands into its soup pot know they are considerably worse-off than they were 15 years ago.

The one thing the PDP cannot tolerate, but the only language it understands, is electoral defeat. There is no better time than the present to inflict it.

One approach is to write up 774 reports, each no longer than half a page, on the last four or 15 years. That is the number of local government areas in the country, and they will make clear the depth of the government’s irresponsibility so far. Consolidate them into manageable sectoral campaign research. Contending political parties can take a look at the national budgets for those years here or here. At the local levels, it is easy to demonstrate how suddenly-wealthy legislators are in dissonance with mounting poverty.

What parties need to do is to campaign intensively at the grassroots: village to village, house to house. Not on social media, as tempting as that is, or on television. Encourage voters to accept PDP money and food, but to vote it out. Drag the PDP into running on its record, at the same time demonstrating a clearer commitment to serving the people.

The PDP may well be the most scandalous party in modern political history. It is not the only sinner in the world, but it is the only one that advertises its sins, and pays itself for them.

The PDP is a pushover right now, and it should be pushed. Because there was a country.

sonala.olumhense@gmail.com
Twitter: @SonalaOlumhense

tinkinjow:
I hope you publish this in march 2015

Fifteen years ago, the Nigerian president and his wife enjoyed their healthcare in European hospitals; today, the Nigerian president and his wife enjoy healthcare in European hospitals.

gregg2:
These APC guys always win in the media

Hahaha . . . janjawids never learn

OAUTemitayo:
PDP must be voted out

Gbawe:


I think Nigeria will surely reject the PDP. Jonathanians and TANdroids forget that GEJ totally and comprehensively shattered all the preconceived notions Nigerians held on to while the PDP ,over many years, plundered the nation i.e "e go better if we are rid of the old boys". That was precisely the sentiments GEJ benefited from in 2011. Nigerians know precisely what the PDP is but they voted for GEJ because of the belief that a 'young' and educated man who was from a poor background,with nothing at all to do with the past and the military, indicated the best hope for the deliverance of Nigeria. This simplistic thinking has now been overwhelmingly and emphatically discredited by the monumental corruption, anti-people mien, oligarchic elitism and misrule of GEJ.

Now we all have overwhelming proof that the making of a great and pro-people leader has zilch to do with education, age, being born poor and from a minority ethnic group or having nothing to do with the military. If anything GEJ has proven that the 'new generation' could be greater thieves with a more callous readiness to serve the interest of the elite and private jet Oligarchs while ignoring average Nigerians. The PDP has no fresh product to sell and no decent report card to run on. Ethnocentric, prejudiced, anti-Nigerian and vengeful folks will do their best to support GEJ but I think this election , if the opposition get's it strategy right, will show these enemies of progress that Nigerians who are normal and simply desire a nation that works are far more than them numerically.

OAUTemitayo:

Sir, i can't even afford to waste another year at home due to the apparent dishonesty of GEJ.
He signed an agreement with ASUU since last year, yet he has not fulfilled a single of those promises in made to them in the agreement.
My power is my vote and my ability to effectively mobilise my father,mother, siblings and friends to vote out GEJ.
I will do everything humanly and Godly possible to ensure that Jonathan lose woefully in such a way that he would even find it difficult to rig or go to any tribunal.
I am going to campaign vigorously to my people here at home on why Jonathan cannot be trusted with another four years of steering the wheels of this nation.
I can't stand another ASUU strike.
Therefore Jonathan must go..

Ofunaofu:
in 2011, majority of the people went to the polls saying 'we are voting for jonathan and not the pdp' they didn't know that jonathan and the pdp were one in flesh and in blood.
Come 2015, that same majority will reject jonathan and the pdp.

duwdu:
Sonala Olumhense is always an erudite, truthful, factual, and non-sentimental writer. This write-up is no different, and I do agree with it.

By the way, this is the first instance of his writings that I know of, in which Sonala would be direct in a belief that PDP could actually be voted out of power. He's always taciturn.

That says a lot, in my book. It, in fact, makes one more hopeful.

In addition, I do expect the leaders of opposition to the PDP at ALL levels – especially at the Federal level – to effectively mobilize and organize the people to go out there and vote; and for the INEC to try all that's humanly possible and make every legitimate vote – from ALL sides – to count.

Those will constitute the stuff of which the beginning of a true political evolution in Nigeria shall be made.

P34c3
.....
...

duwdu:
Sonala Olumhense is always an erudite, truthful, factual, and non-sentimental writer. This write-up is no different, and I do agree with it.

By the way, this is the first instance of his writings that I know of, in which Sonala would be direct in a belief that PDP could actually be voted out of power. He's always taciturn.

That says a lot, in my book. It, in fact, makes one more hopeful.

In addition, I do expect the leaders of opposition to the PDP at ALL levels – especially at the Federal level – to effectively mobilize and organize the people to go out there and vote; and for the INEC to try all that's humanly possible and make every legitimate vote – from ALL sides – to count.

Those will constitute the stuff of which the beginning of a true political evolution in Nigeria shall be made.

P34c3
.....
...

Gbawe:

Olumhense ire against the PDP is typical of what most neutral and objective Nigerians believe to be the case currently. I.e "PDP must go" for Nigeria to make progress. 15 years is far more than enough indulgence of a grossly failed ruling Party.

anonimi:


The same way the Arewa People's Congress, APC must go from Lagos state next year.

16 years of expensive, HYPER-INFLATED flower planting and beautification of barely 10% of the entire state while neglecting the provision of BASIC services & utilities all over the state 'is far more than enough indulgence of a grossly failed ruling Party'

patrickmuf:
Together we can decide ours own destinies by acting above man-made barriers designed to cage our natural thought process along ethnocentric and religious lines...
2015 presents a unique opportunity for us all to err our views hinged on disappointments, desire to move forward, our collective resolved to hold onto the true values of trust and unity...Let's make our votes count by going out en masse to vote PDP out of power...
Need I say yes we can?

Gbawe:


I know you have serious 'issues' but try and learn to stay on topic. Open your own thread about what Lagosians want and deserve. Contribute directly to the subject matter of this thread, i.e the notion PDP should be voted out, or get lost. Your childish attempt at moving focus away from the subject matter is only indicative of your immature and dishonest nature.

Gbawe:
@Barcanista.

Buhari is on course to get the ticket and I think, unlike the past, he will enjoy monumental and unanimous support this time around. your call is the right one but this is obvious to the leaders of the APC as well. It will be obvious to the most influential members of the APC that no Northern candidate other than Buhari can defeat the far-reaching machinations of the PDP. People forget that Tinubu is a pragmatist. They say he has supported Tambuwal yet look at the the 2011 elections where it was claimed Fashola had no chance of getting the APC ticket because Tinubu had "settled" on someone else. In the end Tinubu strongly came out to support Fashola who was never threatened as the best candidate to deliver Lagos for the now defunct ACN. Precisely the same situation with Buhari and the fight for the Presidency.

Your childish attempt at moving focus away from the subject matter is only indicative of your immature and dishonest nature.

anonimi:



You should learn to practice what you preach instead of being a HYPOCRITE all over the place.
No surprise there sha anyway. Is that not the hallmark of the Arewa People's Congress, APC = HYPOCRISY = APC

Below is your post on a thread rallying support for Buhari. You could NOT "stay on topic" but rather was all over the place about Tambuwal, Tinubu, Fashola, 2011, Lagos state, ACN ati bebe lo (and so on and so forth) =>




You can save your Do as I say and not as I do for those dimwits in your Agbero ProgreTHIEF Congress, you hear



So all your dogo turenci long grammar above na Back to Sender, BtS

pendy79:
Who is the finger itching mod who hid my comment on this post. I asked why this post is not on front page if personal opinions are worth front page.

Olisa agbakoba gave a constitutional opinion despite being a maritime lawyer it flew to front page, an erudite professor of constitutional law gave a contrary and informed opinion but it was left to wallow in the Politics section.

What rule have I broken to warrant my post being hidden?

Move this thread to front page or we should accept that only opinion in favour of the PDP deserves to be there, so we don't bother asking

Gbawe:


Bro, we are used to this sort of abuse of power. It is the Nigerian way after all. We are a people, despite conventional education, still emotionally and democratically immature. The notion of behaving in a just and equitable manner always is not something some Nigerians are ready to accept let alone live by.

This is one of the reason the poor and disenfranchise do not currently have a voice or strong representation in Nigeria. The Nigerian elite, in positions of influence same as the mods and the owner of Nairaland enjoy, abuse their powers and use it to intolerantly muzzle the wishes, opinion, voices and aspirations of the Nigerian people. I accept what Nairaland is and you will notice I am never found complaining here. This is because I know that the supporters of GEJ who run this forum will never prevent future development that are meant to be. GEJ is a terrible President Nigerians want to see the back of. The discriminatory antics of Nairaland administrators will not change anything.