By Chief A E Onwuka
With few years left to the 2027 transition year, chances of opposition parties effectively challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress hang on the balance, as nothing till date shows their seriousness to wrestle power from the APC, rather what we hear of, are frequent intra-party crises which only serve to give credence to the maxim that “a house divided against itself cannot stand”.
The People’s Democratic Party for instance, since losing elections in 2015, has been thrown into disarray with a number of gladiators defecting to other political parties, selfishly feathering their nests, while a few who still remain in the party, are surreptitiously working against the party, resulting in losses in three successive general elections and in this year, two off-cycle governorship elections.
One doesn’t need a crystal ball to know that the party may not recover in time to effectively challenge the number one office in the land or other offices as the case may be, if the issue of National Chairmanship of the party that is causing bad-blood within the party, is not addressed. Similarly, continued occupation of the National Chairmanship position by Umar Damagum from the Northeast geo-political zone, against widely held calls for a member from the North Central to assume the position is an issue that may put the final nail on the party’s coffin.
Aside from being accused of being a strong supporter of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, one of the elements that have held the party by the jugular, Damagum is also accused of deliberately postponing the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, a move which has sent tongues wagging, resulting in serious backlash for the National Working Committee, (NWC).
Stakeholders are of the view that the party can reclaim its lost glory if it is rebranded. That means merging with some opposition parties like the Labour Party (LP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and some aggrieved members of the ruling APC to form a new political platform that can effectively challenge the APC in the next general election.
The issue of aggrieved PDP members must be seriously looked at and efforts made to address their concerns and settle whatever differences that may have held them disaffected. That way, the party will become strong again.
While tinkering with the idea, care must be taken to ensure that the new party by whatsoever name, should present a candidate who has the verve, experience, charisma and clout and can effectively stand his ground against a ruling party that will stop at nothing to hang on to power.
It is true that Nigerians want a change, but should the opposition parties continue to ‘play the ostrich’, it will be next to impossible for them to wrench power from the government of the day.
What is needed this time is not self-aggrandizement; the interest of the nation should be paramount; else we may just sit and watch as this government drives all of us to the land of no return. The tell-tale signs are clearly visible as can be seen in the unprecedented rate of suicides and criminality among the citizens. We must stop the common enemy before they sniff life out of us. The time to act is now.
God save our country!
Chief A E Onwuka
Writes from Port Harcourt,
Rivers State.
18/12/24
