July 11, 2024
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Written by: African Politics
- December 11, 2017
The PDP National Convention, 2017
came and went with its publicity stunt, commentaries, hue and cry. Prince Uche
Secondus, as the National Chairman, and other members in the “Unity
List” emerged victorious.
came and went with its publicity stunt, commentaries, hue and cry. Prince Uche
Secondus, as the National Chairman, and other members in the “Unity
List” emerged victorious.
In the build-up to the Congress, a
lot of commentaries and permutations were rife in the social and other media.
Paradoxically, the APC apologists took the center stage in making sarcastic and
uncomplimentary comments and remarks about the Convention.
lot of commentaries and permutations were rife in the social and other media.
Paradoxically, the APC apologists took the center stage in making sarcastic and
uncomplimentary comments and remarks about the Convention.
It is laughable that they have kept
quiet in the face of their Party’s failure to successfully organise a simple
National Convention since assuming power in 2015, but have seen something to
write about the PDP Convention. I will advise them to deal with the internal
squabbles in their Party and allow PDP to be.
quiet in the face of their Party’s failure to successfully organise a simple
National Convention since assuming power in 2015, but have seen something to
write about the PDP Convention. I will advise them to deal with the internal
squabbles in their Party and allow PDP to be.
As I said earlier, Prince Uche
Secondus, a former Deputy National Chairman, has emerged as the new National
Chairman of the PDP. He defeated all the other aspirants who contested for the
coveted position with him.
Secondus, a former Deputy National Chairman, has emerged as the new National
Chairman of the PDP. He defeated all the other aspirants who contested for the
coveted position with him.
To be able to win the election,
Secondus received the strong backing of the eleven (11) Governors elected on
the platform of the PDP as they all stood in solidarity with him throughout the
exercise.
Secondus received the strong backing of the eleven (11) Governors elected on
the platform of the PDP as they all stood in solidarity with him throughout the
exercise.
Out of these eleven (11) Governors,
two clearly (2) stood out: Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Ayodele Fayose of
Ekiti State. These two actively mobilized support openly for Secondus.
two clearly (2) stood out: Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Ayodele Fayose of
Ekiti State. These two actively mobilized support openly for Secondus.
Wike and Fayose have been heavily
attacked and criticised within and outside the Party as having hijacked and
pocketed the Party to their advantage; and for the roles they both played in
the emergence of Secondus as the National Chairman of the Party.
attacked and criticised within and outside the Party as having hijacked and
pocketed the Party to their advantage; and for the roles they both played in
the emergence of Secondus as the National Chairman of the Party.
I hereby volunteer to be their
Advocate in the court of public opinion even at the risk of being the Devil’s
Advocate.
Advocate in the court of public opinion even at the risk of being the Devil’s
Advocate.
When PDP lost the general elections,
especially at the central level, to APC in 2015, a lot of the PDP bigwigs
abandoned the Party and took cover fearing arrest and prosecution. They felt
that the more the associated themselves with the PDP, the more they exposed
themselves; and hence the risk of being arrested and prosecuted. They became
timid, cold and frightened. Some brazenly said they had finished with politics.
especially at the central level, to APC in 2015, a lot of the PDP bigwigs
abandoned the Party and took cover fearing arrest and prosecution. They felt
that the more the associated themselves with the PDP, the more they exposed
themselves; and hence the risk of being arrested and prosecuted. They became
timid, cold and frightened. Some brazenly said they had finished with politics.
At that time, PDP was like a virus
that nobody wanted to be infested with. The Party went blank and almost dead.
Those that were outspoken were arrested and leveled with corruption allegations
against them. The Party had no voice to speak. Everybody in the Party was
afraid. The Party simply went on radio silence.
that nobody wanted to be infested with. The Party went blank and almost dead.
Those that were outspoken were arrested and leveled with corruption allegations
against them. The Party had no voice to speak. Everybody in the Party was
afraid. The Party simply went on radio silence.
Wike and Fayose refused to be cowed
down. They became the loudest voice and strongest supporters of the Party. They
dared where all the other bigwigs in the Party feared. They attacked and
criticised every unpopular decisions and policies of the APC-led Government.
down. They became the loudest voice and strongest supporters of the Party. They
dared where all the other bigwigs in the Party feared. They attacked and
criticised every unpopular decisions and policies of the APC-led Government.
They took up the fallen Party,
nurtured it through hurdles, thick and thin and brought it to its present state
of reckoning. Even when the made the political blunder of bringing Ali Modu
Sheriff as the National Party Chairman, they took it upon themselves to ensure
that he was shown the way out. They stood with Ahmed Makarfi throughout the
period of the legal battles from the High Courts, to the Court of Appeal, and
up to the Supreme Court.
nurtured it through hurdles, thick and thin and brought it to its present state
of reckoning. Even when the made the political blunder of bringing Ali Modu
Sheriff as the National Party Chairman, they took it upon themselves to ensure
that he was shown the way out. They stood with Ahmed Makarfi throughout the
period of the legal battles from the High Courts, to the Court of Appeal, and
up to the Supreme Court.
In those trying times of the Party, a
lot of the bigwigs were nowhere close to identify them in the struggle. Some
stood with Ali Modu Sheriff to scuttle the recovery process of the Party. Some
even floated a new political party in the event that the Party never recovered
from its quagmire.
lot of the bigwigs were nowhere close to identify them in the struggle. Some
stood with Ali Modu Sheriff to scuttle the recovery process of the Party. Some
even floated a new political party in the event that the Party never recovered
from its quagmire.
Politics is a game with express and
implied rules. Political scheming and brinkmanship are the implied parts of the
rules of engagement. It is also a game of wits where the smarter politician
carries the day. Wike and Fayose understand this game very well.
implied rules. Political scheming and brinkmanship are the implied parts of the
rules of engagement. It is also a game of wits where the smarter politician
carries the day. Wike and Fayose understand this game very well.
Wike and Fayose have invested their
time and other resources into the Party when the bigwigs were not ready to do
so for fear of being arrested. Therefore, it is a fair political game for them
to reap and enjoy the benefits of their investments.
time and other resources into the Party when the bigwigs were not ready to do
so for fear of being arrested. Therefore, it is a fair political game for them
to reap and enjoy the benefits of their investments.
It would be politically foolish of
Wike and Fasoye to fold their hands and watch those that abandoned the Party in
times of its need to shamelessly resurface and attempt to hijack the Party from
them.
Wike and Fasoye to fold their hands and watch those that abandoned the Party in
times of its need to shamelessly resurface and attempt to hijack the Party from
them.
They have to consolidate all the
struggles and efforts that they had put into the Party by ensuring that they make
a statement at the Convention. And, they sure did with the emergence of
Secondus and his team of “Unity List”.
struggles and efforts that they had put into the Party by ensuring that they make
a statement at the Convention. And, they sure did with the emergence of
Secondus and his team of “Unity List”.
Let those bigwigs that abandoned the
Party when it needed them most know thus: political game favours the vigilant
and not the indolent.
Party when it needed them most know thus: political game favours the vigilant
and not the indolent.
I wish the newly elected National
Executive Committee of the PDP the best of all in its pursuit to regain and
give power to the people.
Executive Committee of the PDP the best of all in its pursuit to regain and
give power to the people.
To Wike and Fayose: my thumbs up!
James KANYIP
10/12/2017.
