As the Peoples Democratic Party elects its presidential candidate today, NIYI ODEBODE writes that the party’s choice will make or mar it.



For the Peoples Democratic Party, history will be written today, when its delegates converge on Eagle Square to elect its presidential candidate. Since August 19, 1998 when the ruling party was formed, its history has been intertwined with Nigeria’s. Its misfortunes have rubbed off on the country. But today, Nigerians expect the party to make a complete break from its sordid past.



Like other parties, the PDP is not short of lofty ideas and visions that can drive the country into commity of democratic nations. Take for example one of its principles, “ We are against all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, place of origin, or ethnicity, race, beliefs, etc. The PDP will strive to protect the rights of vulnerable groups in society, including women, children, senior citizens, physically challenged and minorities.”



On assumption of office, the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Okwesiliese Nwodo, emphasised the need for the party to endear itself to Nigerians, when he said, “We need people. This is a People’s Democratic Party. We are anchored on the people; People for membership, people for votes, people for solving the problems of Nigeria for all the people of Nigeria.”



Rather a people’s party, the PDP distanced itself from the masses it has been ruling since 1999. The party leaders have realised this.



At his inauguration in 2007, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, the PDP candidate in the last presidential poll admitted that his election was flawed. He, therefore, initiated a reform of the electoral system in the country.



Also Nwodo, who has begun the reform of the PDP, at a press conference in Lagos in November, lamented that godfathers had seized the control of the party.



The national chairman said that such godfathers sat in their bedrooms to pick candidates, who would contest on the platform of the party. “Such people elected under our party banner have consistently brought public odium on our great party to the chagrin of our party members and the nation at large. The process of choosing our candidates must once again be subjected to internal democracy, to the dictates of our party constitution and the extant rules.”



Even members of the PDP have admitted that the party is not the good book of Nigerians. Just a few days ago, six chieftains said, “Our great party has been in power for the past 12 years. During this period, we have done our best to promote social, economic and political development of Nigeria.



“During this period, the party’s image has suffered terrible damage because of the activities of some of its leaders. Although we are the ruling party, the electorate resent us seriously that our party is referred to in some quarters as ‘Peoples Deceiving People. The opposition is capitalising on this image problem to brand our party as party of criminals and scoundrels.”



Some have even alleged that membership of the party confers on individuals the right to loot the national treasury, hence the slogan, “PDP, let’s share the money.”



The national chairman is aware of the need to reform the party as he once said, “That in the irresistible tides of history, there comes a time that individuals must rise and dedicate themselves completely to larger causes, set aside the simplistic notions of selfishness, greed and sectionalism.”



Contrary to Nwodo’s gospel, campaigns of the PDP’s presidential aspirants have been dominated by ethnic sentiment, with some chieftains canvassing zoning. The Northern Political Leaders’ Forum called for the zoning of the presidency to the North. It specifically asked the party to bar President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the presidential election.



The party has, however, rejected the call and insisted that Jonathan has the constitutional right to contest the poll. It even went ahead to confirm Jonathan as its official candidate. Besides the party, 21 governors have also endorsed Jonathan.



But NPLF is undaunted and it has picked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its consensus aspirant for a race that has been characterized by a campaign of calumny.



Three main aspirants for today’s primary are: Jonathan, Abubakar and a veteran in presidential contests, Mrs. Sarah Jubril.



While declaring his presidential ambition in September, Jonathan, the first Nigerian president from the oil-rich Niger Delta, had said, “Our country is at the threshold of a new era; an era that beckons for a new kind of leadership; a leadership that is uncontaminated by the prejudices of the past; a leadership committed to change; a leadership that reinvents government, to solve the everyday problems that confront the average Nigerian.



“I was not born rich, and in my youth, I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but not once did I ever give up. Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke, a small village in the Niger Delta, will one day rise to the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was raised by my mother and father with just enough money to meet our daily needs.”



His main rival, Abubakar, who contested the 2007 presidential poll on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, said that he would “chart a new course for the country.”



Both Jonathan and Abubakar are powerful aspirants, but governors are expected to play a decisive role in the presidential primaries. In 2006, governors endorsed Yar’Adua, who eventually emerged as the candidate of the party in the 2007 presidential poll.



As the party delegates vote today, whoever emerges presidential candidate must be able to pass a credibility test.






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No to Atiku candidacy.