18th September, 2022
Strong indications emerged at the weekend that the South-west zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had been plunged into a state of dilemma on whether to pull out of the main opposition party with its National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu’s refusal to quit in line with Section 7(3c) of the PDP Constitution.
As the zonal wing of the main opposition party internally battles with its next decision, the flag-bearer of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s close allies accused the party’s erstwhile Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George of plotting with the camp of Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nysom Wike to replace Ayu as the national chairman if finally resigned.
Multiple sources in the blocs of Atiku and Wike at the weekend revealed vicious undercurrents currently ebbing away the prospect of the opposition PDP dislodging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election already scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.
With the emergence of Atiku as its presidential candidate on May 28, the main opposition party had been plunged into deeper internal rift crises connected to the lopsided positions in its National Working Committee (NWC).
Consequently, the South-west PDP had demanded that the national offices should be reordered to reflect the geo-political realities of the federation stipulated in Section 7(3c) of the PDP Constitution and in line with the federal character principle entrenched in Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.
Specifically, Section 7(3c) of the PDP Constitution stipulates that the national leadership shall “ensure adherence to the policy of the rotation and zoning of Party and Public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness…”
Despite the insistence of the South-west PDP on the compliance with the provisions of the extant laws that govern its operations, Ayu has refused to resign as its national chairman, a situation that strains the cohesion and unity of the main opposition party ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.
Findings, however, revealed yesterday that the South-west had been at a dilemma on whether to pull out of the main opposition party due to different zonal leaders ascribed to Ayu’s flagrant disregard to the provisions of the PDP Constitution.
Onw of the leaders said that the South-west PDP had not decided the next level, though pulling out of the party might be a tough decision due to what he ascribed to its reluctance to work the presidential candidate of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu.
“We may not be able to pull out easily. Had it been Vice President Yemi Osinbajo or somebody else emerged the presidential candidate of the APC, we can easily pull out of the PDP and support such a candidate.
“With Tinubu as the candidate, it is difficult for the South-west PDP to support his candidacy. In South-west PDP, we are between the Devil and deep blue sea. But we will surely navigate through the maze of this leadership crisis,” the zonal leader who craved anonymity said.
While another zonal leader agreed that it might be difficult to pull out of the PDP, he noted that the South-west PDP would not campaign for the party for the presidential election due to Ayu’s refusal to quit in the interest of the party.
By the time the campaign kicks off on September 28, the zonal leader claimed that the critical stakeholders of the South-west PDP would not follow up except the national leadership ensure total compliance with the PDP Constitution.
Contrarily, he claimed: “If some people follow the presidential flag-bearer during the campaign, it is because they are interested in his money and not his success. South-west PDP cannot support the present national leadership structure of the party.
“It is very clear in our constitution that we must adhere to rotation and zoning. It is there in Section 7(3c). Is Buhari from the South? We have not decided our next step. It has to be the collective decision of the South-west PDP. We have not got to that stage. Election is still five months away.”
Amid the political quandary confronting the South-west PDP, Atiku’s close allies lashed at former deputy national chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George for pursuing self-interest by campaigning for Ayu’s removal.
One of Atiku’s allies claimed that Wike’s bloc had already started preparing for 2027, hence plotting aggressively to take control of the PDP NWC to realise their plan.
He alleged that George, one of the leading voices seeking Ayu’s removal in the South, had been pencilled “to replace the national chairman of the party provided they succeed in forcing Ayu to resign from the office.”
Contrary to their claims, George faulted Atiku’s allies, pointing out that he had already made public his plan to disengage from partisan politics by May 2023.
He said: “I spent 25 years in the military. By next year, I will be 25 years in politics. It means I have put 50 years of my life in public service. I will be 78 years old in 2023. What else am I looking for at this age and after all I have been in this country?
“People are so dishonest. Such positions no longer entice me. I am a true Christian. I do not subscribe to all their political intrigues. It is an absolute thrash. That is the level they are and it is difficult for them to see things the way they are.
“I am simply concerned about the future of the PDP. In all modesty, I am a founding member of the party. I am crying out now because of Nigeria. If anything happens now, it will affect everyone irrespective of class and status.
“At 78, I will be plotting to be the national chairman of the PDP. for what purpose again? Even though God has blessed me with sound health, it no longer makes sense for me to start scheming to be the national chairman at the age of 78.
“Honestly, God has really favoured me. At 42, I became governor in Ondo State. After serving as governor, I was the Principal Officer to Chief of the General Staff (then de facto Vice President of Nigeria), General Oladipo Diya during the regime of late General Sani Abacha.
“Besides, I have worked with different presidents. I worked with General Ibrahim Babangida. I worked with General Sani Abacha. I worked with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. I also worked with the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. We actually worked to ensure Yar’Adua’s election,” George said.
Worried about the lingering internal rift that plagues the PDP, the Chairman of the Atiku Abubakar’s Campaign Council and Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel yesterday urged the party’s stakeholders to bury their hatchet and work for the success of the party.
At a session with journalists at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo Friday, Emmanuel thanked the leadership and members of PDP for finding him worthy to head the presidential campaign council.
He stressed that success in the task ahead “requires a collaborative effort,” thus calling on party faithful at all levels “to work towards victory for the party. Let me thank all our party members across the country for this confidence they have in me.
“I also want to say that no one person can do it alone. It involves everybody in all the units, all the wards and all chapters of our party to come together for the party to move forward.”, he stated.
The governor observed that friction had occurred in the party in time past, passionately appealed to the party chieftain “to let go of the past and seek a way forward for the party.
“I want to use this platform to make an appeal that if we had made mistakes in the past we cannot wind back the clock. We cannot recall what had passed yesterday. We can move forward in the spirit of oneness, unity, prosperity and progress for our party , I’ll really appreciate it.”
Despite the party’s internal rift, Emmanuel promised to discharge his duty with utmost determination to work for the victory of the party, hoping that Nigerians “will vote accordingly while God gives the victory.
“The issue of the campaign council is a very simple matter. Our own duty is to do the campaign and Nigerians to vote for us. It is God who gives victory,” the governor of Akwa Ibom State observed with hope that Nigerians would vote PDP in the next presidential poll.