With the December 9, convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that produced its national chairman and other principal officers of the party, the tasks ahead for the new executives are daunting as watcher of political event are hoping for a more viable opposition, which is unarguably not in place in the last two and a half years since the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC took power at the centre.
Uneasy they say lies the head that wears the crown. The new national chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, has carried a laudable herculean task with burden of wrestling power from the ruling APC come 2019.
Although the Rivers state born politician may have recorded a great feat in this regard having become the chairman, but challenges of the leadership role at this critical time cannot be overemphasized.
Secondus has served as the Organising Secretary and Acting Chairman before his current role. But, the position of chairman is more challenging. Ahead for him is first the task of reconciliation with aggrieved party chieftains and members, especially those from the southwest, who felt short changed in the process that saw his emergence chairman.
Many of the party faithful are in a hurry to return to power in 2019, and with the party’s poor outing in the last general election which saw its 16 years rule terminated by the APC, it will be foolhardy for the party and it stalwarts to make errors that led to its outer in 2015. And this is what Secondus is preparing to salvage.
A statement from the Media Office of Secondus Campaign in Abuja affirmed that the majority of members of the PDP want to be in power in 2019 and as such would not allow learners on the political party rudiments to steer the affairs of the party at this time. The statement, which was signed by the Media Director Ike Abonyi, says “The party after suffering all the distractions from Sheriff’s unfortunate interventions, is anxious to hit the ground running to cover lost grounds and launch the party to winning ways once again.
Secondus’ experience and disarming human relations are the most potent ingredients for him now because of the urgent harmonious environment the party would need immediately after the convention to confront the challenges ahead,” the statement reads.
For the new chairman and his team, they must start to put in place mechanisms that will create a formidable opposition for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Of course, the party may face challenges from a legion of recalcitrant traducers, who are most likely to malign its efforts, but the onus falls on the chairman to harness appropriate resources at his disposal to be focused in order to wrestle power from the ruling APC.
Secondus fought a hard contest but there are more hurdles to scale before the party would be cruising to power come 2019.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan recently led a team of party leaders to make reconciliation move to the southwest. Many of the party chieftains have been aggrieved by the permutations that led to the emergence of Secondus. It was believed that the position was initially zoned to the region but calculated strategies however saw the initial proposed scheme thwarted.
Former Lagos State PDP governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje said: “The Southwest is aggrieved. It should be pacified.”
Also a major contestant before withdrawal Chief Bode George felt insulted by the submission of Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike, who said that party loyalists in the southwest had not achieved much for the party.
A chieftain of the party from Osun State, Chief Tunde Odanye, said reconciliation with the Southwest will restore its lost sense of belonging and erase a feeling of marginalization.
The determination of the majority of the stakeholders of the party is for it to return to power at the centre, which is the basis of the aspiration by Secondus for the office of the national chairman.
Reconciliation with aggrieved aspirants, especially Chief Bode George, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and a few others may be difficult at the initial stage, but it is not unsurmountable. The responsibility is on the chairman and the reconciliation committee to reach out to the chieftains, party stalwarts, their associates and supporters, and appease them to accept the olive branch and work together in the best interest of the party.
Secondus first litmus test will be next year when he leads his party out at the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun. The results of the elections in Ekiti where the PDP is the ruling party and Osun where the opposition clinched senatorial by-election, will determine the future of PDP under his leadership.
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Largely, Secondus has to tackle the challenge of perception arising from the way it conducted its convention. A picture of acrimony painted by the exercise may be discouraging to would-be returnees, who may not want to retrace their steps to a crisis-ridden party, says political analyst and social commentator, Emmanual Oladesu.
Oladesu’s submission apparently is closely linked with some of the causative factors that provoked the party’s downfall in the last general election. A lack of level playing ground, imposition, amongst other things, were the reason the party had a poor outing.
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2019 presidential election, Secondus has to be more proactive and circumspective in fielding party flagbearer. He is expected to play the card wisely so that the best candidate and running mate with wide acceptance are chosen. This no doubt calls for accommodation of defectors.
As new members arrive, there will be need for the harmonisation of party structures to accommodate their interests and ambitions. On this premise, the former national caretaker committee, NCC chairman of the party Senator Ahmed Makarfi urged Secondus and his executive committee to open the doors of the party to the returnees and ensure that they do not suffer from any disadvantage.
Already at least, four gladiators have indicated interest in the presidential ticket, with more aspirants expected to join in the race.
Will the governors, who have been accused of imposing a chairman, allow a transparent, hitch-free, and credible presidential primary?
Will the same allegation trail the party’s primary election for presidential ticket or not, if at all it will hold? These and many more are questions agitating the minds of political pundits.
Makarfi said the NCC has laid a solid foundation for Secondus to build upon. He looked vibrant; agile with the strength of a potential presidential contender. “We have laid a good foundation for the repositioning of the PDP,” he said in his valedictory remarks, advising the new leadership to consolidate on the gains.
He said the ball is in the court of the post-convention reconciliation panel, headed by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, to listen to the various grievances, ventilate them and reconcile them with the party. He also urged the new executive committee to always ensure a level playing ground for contestants in the future to avoid fresh problems while trying to resolve new existing challenges.
In his reaction, former president Goodluck Jonathan while reflecting on the 2015 electoral tragedy that hit the party, said the PDP can bounce back to power in 2019 poll, if its house is put in order.
Jonathan, who urged party faithful to keep the hope alive, accused the APC of persecuting top opposition chieftains. He advised them to endure the pains and resolve to forge ahead with determination. He said the winners must promote a culture of inclusiveness by carrying along those who lost at the convention adding that the party can only regain power as a united family.
He said: “PDP should remain at the forefront of leadership by example. I urge members to continue to support the party. PDP has become a strong voice, a reference point as the nation moves closer to another election season. It is growing from strength to strength. Defectors are coming back. There is a reunion.
“PDP is the only stable party that has not changed its name and identity since 1999. It continues to make promises and fulfil its promises. Those who will win the election today must carry the losers along.”
For former vice president Atiku Abubakar , who dumped the ruling party and now back, said the PDP must convince Nigerians that past mistakes will not be repeated.
He said: “We must work to earn the trust of Nigerians. If we get power, we should use it to work for Nigerians.”
Atiku lamented that, despite the party’s achievements in 16 years, it lost power because it made mistakes. He said: “We made mistakes, but we put our nation first. APC is blaming previous governments, instead of solving problems. Let the PDP get winning again so that it can get working for Nigerians again.”
Noting that the poor performance of the APC will make Nigerians vote for the opposition party in 2019, Atiku said, “Under the APC, Nigeria is not working and our workers are not working. APC promised three million jobs and under the ruling party, Nigeria lost three million jobs. Under the PDP, Nigeria was united. Under the APC, Nigeria is disunited, more than it was during the civil war. APC promised restructuring, it has denied promising restructuring. PDP waged war against corruption; APC is waging war against the opposition.”
The BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, said the peaceful conduct of the convention meant that the PDP was on the march again and ready to return to power in 2019.
As it appears right pegs are beginning to be put in the right holes for the opposition PDP, Secondus has to technically deploy his political expertise and experiences in the move if indeed he is ready to lead the party back to power in the next general election.
