TOWARDS A VIABLE OPPOSITION: THE PDP AS AN OPPOSITION PARTY.
By Teryila Ibn Apine

It was the late senate president Chuba Okadigbo who said '' opposition is fundamental and cardinal dimension of a democratic process, the general chorus of hallelujah to every thing done in the name of loyalty is antithetic to democracy, constructive criticism is a cornerstone for development rather than an instrument of destruction'

Over the years, whether the APC has been a poor opposition party will be determined by the viability of the opposition put forth by the PDP and other political parties.

For PDP, the greatest challenge will be to wake up to the reality that they have suddenly become the opposing party in a country they have governed for 16 years.

Before now, winning the PDP primaries was sequel to winning the general election.

One expects more of the Olisah Metuh and Lai mohammed media engagements.
How constructive this engagements or media war will be is what Nigerians will be looking out.

One of the greatest undoing of our political parties is their inability to manage success. Success makes our political parties and politicians pompous and demi gods. As such they neglect the wishes and aspirations of the electorates.

APC needs to be very careful with the Nigerian Masses. Sovereignty has returned to the ordinary man and woman on the street. These electorates are angry with the 16 years of near abandonment.

But come to think of it, what moral right has the PDP to question another political party in government?

What will the PDP tell the new government?

Why will they criticize another party when for all these years the masses have been emasculated and impoverished by Government with negligible dividends of democracy.

Does the APC need to be told that the PDP failed because they grossly undermined the electorates?

That the PDP mystified the dividends of Democracy and made country men near beggar; insecurity, alarming unemployment and non payment of salaries etc.

The APC must learn thses lessons from the fall of the party that hitherto claimed to be the largest political party in Africa.

The PDP alone lack the moral standing to criticize the APC. For the PDP to survive and become the viable opposition party its members are enthusiastic to be, the party must merge with people oriented parties, it must re brand. It must perfect a masses ideology and a will to implement policies that will benefit the common man and woman on the street.

Before now, opposition parties vanish after elections. What we then had was opposition leaders. At every elections the tides favored a certain candidate and the party such candidate align with becomes the major opposition party. The victory of the President elect Gen. Buhari has elements of this as well.

But our politics must grow beyond this level. Our parties must move from individualistic approach to an ideological approach. What I mean is. A situation where the individual who wins the election on a party's platform determines the policy thrust of the party should be discouraged. The party should develop a manifesto which any one who wins election on its platform should implement.

If this is done, the parties will become more viable to offer proper opposition or serve the people.

The present fight for the soul of the PDP which has led to the resignation of the national chairman Adamu Muazu and the BOT Chairman Chief Tony Anenih can be liken to this personality approach to matters of political parties.

On the whole, the APC needs a vibrant opposition. Opposition does not entails insulting the leaders on electronic, print or social media.
It is not about painting even the good policies of a government in bad light just to discredit the leaders.
It is not about blatant lies and unnecessary propaganda.

Else where opposition parties form a shadow government. They research on issues confronting the nation/ state and proffer solutions. This serves as a challenge to the incumbent.

What I foresee is that the electorates and not necessarily the political parties will constitute the most vibrant and viable opposition this time....

hmm

Nice