-dogaraCaesar|19/05/2017

The history of democracy in Nigeria is incomplete without including the People’s Democratic Party… Haven ruled for over a decade and half, the party came to a point of defeat in 2015 when all odds turned against the biggest political party on the continent. The international community as well played a vital role to ensure that the then ruling party was brought to the ground by every means possible following –rapid corruption and insecurity as key areas.

It is no longer news that after the election lost, there came series of rifts, power tussle within the party that tends never to come to an end –not anytime soon… A divided PDP, with one side having the entire structures of the party as well as the support of the grassroots, -the other faction with nothing. Major Stakeholder of the party, consisting of PDP Governors, Legislators, past Governors and Ministers, state party chairmen, all pledge allegiance to the faction led by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi –so there is no dispute on who is PDP. Meanwhile, Ali Sheriff remains on his own.

On the 21st day of May, 2016, the convention that took place at Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, recognized Sen. Makarfi as the legitimate chairman –but will serve as caretaker and lead the party until a convention is organized to elect the new National working committee (NWC) of the party. The decision was taken after some stakeholders fell out with Ali Sheriff and his style of leadership towards uniting the party ahead of the 2019 elections, others fell out with Sheriff because he is ambitious, his agenda for the presidency is no news and fear he will manipulate the system so as to hijack the PDP ticket for 2019 presidential elections. However, concerned elites within the system are of the opinion that –In order to promote a stable democracy in Nigeria, we must be able to have a stronger opposition to checkmate the ruling party and to oppose them at every level they slip.

Over the past months, more concerned party leaders had been making consultations, interactions and taking decisions that will unite the party to grow stronger as a better opposition; these efforts had so far produced no results of course, even when the immediate past President GEJ met with both factions on resolving the crises and to find a way forward towards uniting the party. ALI SHERIFF CRASHED IT.
Considering the fact that the PDP constitution recognizes Sen. Makarfi as the legitimate chairman, sections 33(2) and 33(5b) of the PDP constitution states that –“The National convention shall be the supreme and controlling authority of the party within the limits prescribed in this constitution and it shall be the principal representative, policy making and administering body of the party” and “The national convention shall have and exercise authority to elect or remove the national officers of the party” respectively.

Furthermore, the consequence of recognizing Ali Sheriff as Chairman at the supreme court of law will only see the care-taker committee to be law abiding by accepting the outcome/judgement of the SC –but will further pave the way for them to defect and move on to a more preferred platform to maintain political relevance. Although, the BoT of the PDP had assured the supporters that there are no plans of either setting up a new platform or rebuilding the party with a different identity, the entire idea is said to be “restructuring the PDP for active role of opposition and winning elections in 2019 and beyond”. Meanwhile, party leaders still insist that –Unless both factions back-off the court of law and exercise a political solution to its problem, the party might fail to exist in the coming months and those interested in running for political offices will therefore have to seek other alternatives to obtain tickets and run for elections.

However, plans are already in place to dump the party if Sheriff is recognized by the law as the authentic chairman of the PDP –so as to guarantee a better political future and relevance. -Could the platform be “APDA” that had caused so much political concerns? -Could this be the new alternative that will trigger the active role of opposition in Nigeria?? We all have our political views and opinions that differs and only Time will tell! /p7iJUh-1v