The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is warming up for an elective convention. Three stalwarts-Chief Olabode George, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Prof. Tunde Adeniran-are in the race for the national chairman. Who succeeds Senator Ahmed Makarfi? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the contenders.
The National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for December is critical to the future of the opposition party. The decision to hold the national congress was taken at the last non-elective convention in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following the botched convention in Port-Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
At the convention, a new national chairman will be elected. Already, three stalwarts are itching to succeed Caretaker Chairman Ahmed Makarfi, whose tenure will expire at the convention. They are former Deputy National Chairman Olabode George, former Ogun State Governor Olugbenga Daniel and former Minister of Education Prof. Tunde Adeniran.
The implication of their ambitions is that the party has zoned the slot to the Southwest, following the zoning of the presidential ticket to the North. A source said the Southeast and Southsouth was asked to concede the slot to the Southwest in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice. No PDP chieftain from the Southwest has served as national chairman of the party since its inception in 1998/99. Two Southeast politicians-Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo-were national chairmen, although their tenures were crisis-ridden. Chief Uche Secondus from the Southsouth served as Acting Chairman. The party believes that the slot should not return to the region that has recently produced Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president for six years.
However, Southsouth PDP members are still at liberty to join the race in defiance of zoning, reminiscent of when Chief Raymond Dokpesi entered the race, ahead of the rancorous Port-Harcourt convention.
Sources said former Lagos State PDP governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje may not vie for the position, following the re-alignment of forces. In the Southwest, zoning within zoning, between Lagos/Ogun/Oyo and Ondo/Osun/Ekiti may have also been jettisoned. George is from Lagos, Daniel is from Ogun and Adeniran is from Ekiti.
Recently, former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who was being drafted into the race by few governors, rejected the entreaties, saying that he could not slug it out with George. It is not clear, if the governors have now shifted to Daniel. But, the three aspirants are not likely to do the bidding of either the PDP Governors’ Forum or any powerful bloc in the party. The three contenders are individually independent-minded.
Challenges
Many challenges will confront the PDP under the leadership that will be elected in December. The first is the challenge of reconciliation and harmonization. Already, Makarfi and prominent party leaders are on tour of the six geo-political zones to appeal to lukewarm founding fathers who were edged out in the past to return to the fold. The onus is on the post-National Caretaker Committee-chairman to complete the task.
The second is the challenge of fielding a nationally acceptable presidential candidate who will match President Muhammadu Buhari or a flag bearer that will replace him, if he decides not to contest. Already, eyes are on Makarfi, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwabo, Turakin Adamawa former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is likely to retrace his steps from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, and Gen. Aliyu Gusau. Those interested in being running mate are Senator Ben Obi, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose. These presidential aspirants are interested in who becomes the national chairman.
The PDP has an agenda. The party wants to bounce back in 2019. It is a big challenge. The third challenge, therefore, is that of repackaging the leading opposition party for the presidential contest. The next national chairman is expected to lead the party to victory.
A source disclosed that the three aspirants have swung into action, although more contenders are still likely to join the race.
George:
The retired navy commodore joined the party at its inception. Since then, he has not looked back. For 10 years, he worked at the party secretariat as Vice Chairman (Southwest), National Deputy Chairman and Director-General of Presidential Campaigns. George has experience. He is mature, courageous and hardworking. He is a former military of Ondo State. He studied Engineering at the University of Lagos, Akoka. He also holds a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration. George was an ally of the first PDP president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Despite the crisis that has rocked the PDP, George has never considered the option of defection. In Lagos, he is the party leader, who has contributed to the chapter’s efforts to capture power, but without success. During the crisis, he convened many reconciliation meetings in the Southwest and was always preaching harmonization, unity and stability. He has served on many critical party committees set up to move the platform forward in the last 17 years. Apart from being endorsed by many important party leaders in the Southwest, his strength also lays in the support of many Northern delegates for his chairmanship ambition. When some governors were projecting Agbaje to the Northern Caucus, old party members insisted on George’s candidature.
Many founding fathers of the party recalled that in 2003, George worked assiduously for the victory of the party in the Southwest where it won five of the six states. They believe that he is conversant with the problems confronting the party and how to mobilise stakeholders to resolve them.
George has a vision for the PDP. In a previous interview, he said the party should strengthen its crisis resolution mechanism to nip in the bud the division and factionalisation that often tore apart the platform. He also said the party should devise a way of funding the party through financial contributions by card-carrying members, admirers and followers, instead of relying exclusively on certain blocs for funding.
George’s associates have set up a campaign organisation. They are holding consultations with party leaders across the six geo-political zones. George is a household name in the PDP. However, Fayose and Wike had objected to his candidature, saying that a younger person would be preferred. A party elder, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, however, disagreed with them, saying that George will be a good chairman. “PDP will regain its voice with Bode George as national chairman,” the former Minister of Transport and Aviation said, adding that he tested, trusted, proven and responsible. Extolling his qualities, Babatope said his contribution to the Ile-Ife/Modakeke peace efforts made the Ooni of Ife, the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade to confer on him the title of Atona Oodua.
“This is not the time for trial and error. This is not the time for crude, illogical experimentation. We dare not fail. We dare not falter. We dare not make a wrong move. Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George is the right choice for our party now at this challenging time,” he stressed.
George is a loyal and committed stalwart. As a party elder, he is consistent and predictable. He has spearheaded efforts to woo credible Lagosians into the Lagos chapter. However, many expect George to work harder to put his house in order. He has the time and skill to unite the party in Lagos and guide its congress to produce a state executive committee that will foster cohesion and cement the unity.
Daniel:
Daniel’s name has been associated with the PDP in Ogun State since 2003 when he won the governorship election. He served as governor for eight years. However, his administration was full of tension when his tenure was about to expire. Having fallen out with Obasanjo, the party machinery slipped away from his control. In that frustrating situation, a succession crisis engulfed his administration. Although his anointed candidate was Gboyega Nosiru, former President Obasanjo preferred Gen. Idowu Olurin. The former governor directed his followers to encamp in the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN). He could not hand over to his preferred choice. At that time, it was evident that Daniel had left the PDP.
However, after the 2011 elections, prominent party leaders pleaded with him to return to the fold. When he returned, his bid for the Senate was scuttled by Senator Buruji Kashamu, ahead of the primary. He opted out of the race. But, whether as a politician or a businessman, Daniel has not been off the radar. Daniel is a successful businessman. Those supporting his bid have not publicly endorsed him. The PDP chapter in his native Ogun State is still a divided house. Three factions are locked in battle for the control of the chapter. There is no valid state executive committee on ground.
Adeniran:
A scholar of repute, Adeniran is an eminent professor of Political Science. He retired from the University of Ibadan. He was a prominent union leader as a university teacher. Adeniran was a member of the Political Bureau. He was a MAMSER Executive Director. In 1999, he lost to Otunba Niyi Adebayo during the governorship election. He was Minister of Education for almost two years. Adeniran also serves as Ambassador to Germany. At a time, he was directed by the party to surrender his senatorial ticket to a defector. He complied without complaint. His diplomatic career was aborted in United States.
It is possible that Adeniran has the support of few radical elements in the PDP. But, he does not have home support as Fayose and those in his camp in Ekiti are not supporting his bid.
