As the crisis ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) begins the search for a new chairman, Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the chances of the prospective candidates for the position and the impact of the crisis on the party’s future.
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to pick a new chairman, after months of bickering over the leadership of the party, following its loss of power in last year’s election. It is not certain whether the party will stand by its zoning formula that the new chairman should come from the Northeast where the former National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, comes from. Mu’azu resigned his appointment in May last year, in the heat of the crisis that engulfed the party, following its defeat at the polls.
Those insisting that the new chairman should come from the Northeast argue that, since Mua’zu did not complete his tenure, it is only logical that a replacement should be sought from the zone. A source said the governors, the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders have reached a consensus to concede the chairmanship slot to the zone in line with the judgment of a High Court.
But, a powerful group wants the party to throw it open. It hinged its position on the need for the party to have a charismatic leader that will reposition it ahead of the 2019 general elections.
To this effect, the group has begun in earnest the search for a new leadership, in line with its adopted resolution to revive the former ruling party, by relaxing the principle of zoning in the election of a new national executive committee. The following are being taunted as likely choices for the job:
Wilberforce Juta
Ambassador Wilberforce Juta was governor of the defunct Gongola State in 1983. He was later appointed Nigerian High Commissioner to Zimbabwe. Juta was first elected as deputy governor on the platform of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) in 1979. But, when Governor Abubakar Barde resigned in 1983, Juta took over. He left office in October 1983 and was succeeded by Bamanga Tukur, who was elected on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
On April 17, 1985, Juta was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by the military tribunal established to try ex-governors accused of corruption and abuse of power. Later, the sentence was reduced to five years with a fine. In July, 1986 he was barred for life from holding public office.
Following the death of Gen. Sani Abacha and the lifting of the ban on party politics, Juta was one of those that founded the PDP in Adamawa State in 1998. The party won the state and national elections in 1999. In November 2009, as Chairman of the Middle Belt Forum, Juta called for true federalism, with every state taking total control of its resources and paying a 75 per cent tax to the centre.
Bala Mohammed
Mohammed was elected Senator for Bauchi South in 2007 on the platform of All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). He was appointed Minister of Federal Capital Territory on April 8, 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. He studied English at the University of Maiduguri between I979 and 1982. He joined The Democrat newspaper, now rested, as a reporter in 1983. Subsequently, he worked in the public service as an administrative officer from 1984 to 2000. He retired as Director of Administration in the Nigerian Metrological Agency.
He served as a senior Special Assistant to former governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State. But, he fell out with Yuguda after the Governor married President Umaru Yar’Adua’s daughter and decamped to the PDP. In March 2010, he accused Yuguda of being behind a move by people in his constituency to recall him from the Senate. He was the first to call for declaration of President Yar’Adua as incapacitated and for the making the then Vice President Jonathan the acting President.
Donald Duke
Duke was governor of Cross River from 1999 to 2007. He created the idea of the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race that grew to become one of the most lucrative mountain running competitions in the world under his stewardship. He initiated the Tinapa Resort project as a way to boost business and tourism in the state.
He was the only former governor specifically mentioned as not being under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He declared his interest in the presidential election in 2007, but stepped down for Yar’Adua.
Duke had kept a safe distance from the PDP for eight years. But, he made a dramatic appearance at the party stakeholders meeting recently. He noted last year that the PDP lost in the 2015 general elections due to the arrogance of its leaders. He also said it was the same arrogance that stopped the party leaders from solving the problems which eventually led to its downfall.
David Mark
Mark was the Senate President from 2007 to 2015. He represented Benue South on the platform of the party. He ran for re-election in April 2011 and was elected for a fourth term. Recently, the Supreme Court nullified his 2015 election, but he is still contesting in the rerun election scheduled for this month.
The Senate under his leadership carried out constitution review. When leading the exercise he urged his colleagues to set aside their personal interests and focus on the interests of the Nigerian people.
Prior to his senatorial career, Mark was a military Governor of Niger State when he was a Brigadier General and later served as Minister of Communications.
Crisis without end
The crisis within the party appears to have defied solutions. The crisis is believed to be an off-shoot of its defeat at the polls last year. The absence of a charismatic leader is having adverse effect on the efforts to revive the party. Already, massive defections have hit the party once acclaimed as the largest party in Africa. The stakeholders are worried by the rate stalwarts are defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Analysts say the trend, if allowed to continue, will not augur well for Nigeria’s democracy that requires two strong parties to play in the political turf.
Trouble started for the party immediately after the defeat of Jonathan, when close associates and aides of the former President attempted to take over the control of the party. Jonathan’s former Political Adviser, Ahmed Gulak, called on former chairman, Mu’azu, to take responsibility for the defeat and resign. He accused Mu’azu of selling out the party to the APC.
Ahead of the elections, Mu’azu faced stringent criticisms for his lack of contribution to the campaign efforts of Jonathan. Many party members accused him of refusing to campaign for the President openly, especially in the northern states. Furious Gulak said: “If the belief of the majority of the members of the PDP is anything to go by, you could say that the party chairman was the number one culprit for the dismal outing. There is no party chairman of the PDP since 1998 that has led the party to such a disastrous outing. As a result, the National Chairman should consider himself one of those that have to give way for a new leadership to come up. In fact, he doesn’t need to be told to turn in his resignation.”
The National Working Committee (NWC) came to Mu’azu’s defence and warned those it described as some ambitious aides and associates of Jonathan of trying to use their closeness to the former President to cause crisis in the party and pave way for more defections to other parties.
It stated: “The NWC is aware that these same individuals who mismanaged the presidential campaign funds are now desperately seeking to cause crisis in the PDP with a view not only to divert attention from their misdeeds, but also to ensure they remained politically relevant by hijacking the party structure for their selfish purposes.
“The party is aware that the same group has been sponsoring series of amorphous bodies and negative publications in a section of the media to peddle false allegations against the NWC to back their heinous and unconstitutional demands that the NWC be sacked. The NWC is duly elected and its tenure ends in March 2016 in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution. The PDP is a party built on the rule of law and democratic ethos. Its NWC is elected and not appointed and as such cannot be sacked at will. Besides, no section of the party’s constitution prescribes that the NWC should quit if the party loses in a general election.”
Following the orchestrated campaign against Mu’azu, he threw in the towel on May 20, 2015. Mu’azu’s exit failed to restore peace in the party. His deputy, Prince Uche Secondus took over as chairman in acting capacity. The party’s constitution allows him to stay for three months.
Gulak’s claim
But, following his indefinite stay at the helms, Gulak dragged him to court. The court ordered Secondus to vacate office but he appealed against the judgment and stayed put in office. Gulak played out a drama when he stormed PDP national secretariat, saying he has assumed office as party chairman. His action spurred the leadership of the party into taking steps to address the anomaly.
The PDP Governorship Forum flayed Gulak invasion of the secretariat, but it also asked Secondus to hand over to the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, pending the time a new chairman will be appointed.
But, the NWC has shunned the governors’ directive. The National Legal Adviser, Mr Victor Kwom, insisted that Secondus remained the acting chairman. He said: “For the avoidance of doubt the statutory organs of the party, the NWC, National Caucus, the Board of trustees (BoT) and the National Executive Council (NEC) will be meeting next (this) week to deliberate on the developments, including the appointment of a replacement for Mu’azu, from the Northeast. The replacement would be in strict adherence to the party’s constitution as specified in Section 47(6). Until then the status quo remains, which means the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Secondus remains the acting National Chairman.”
The crisis has taken a new dimension as a group of leaders of the PDP has kicked against zoning of the chairmanship and other positions to particular zones. The general understanding is that the replacement will come from the Northeast. The PDP leaders who met in Lagos ruled out zoning. The meeting, according to an insider, was stormy, particularly over which geo-political zone will produce the next chairman. After heated debates, all the leaders at the session resolved that the choice should be left open to all the geo-political zones. The source said the leaders decided to raise an 18-man search team for a capable hand to lead the PDP.
He said: “Our present preoccupation is to get a new chairman who must have credibility and integrity to lead the new opposition party. We don’t mind where such a good candidate comes from. If the candidate is from north or south, the zoning of the presidential ticket of the PDP in 2018 will determine whether or not such a person will step down later.”
At the meeting were the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Governors Ayo Fayose, Olusegun Mimiko, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Ishaku Darius, Ben Ayade and the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Chukwu. Others include ex-Governors Abdulkadir Kure, Donald Duke, Jonah Jang, Obong Attah and Achike Udenwa, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, serving senators and members of the House of Representatives, ex-Ministers Suleiman Abubakar, Tanimu Turaki and Osita Chidoka.
Besides, the Southeast and the Southsouth are also scheming for the post. A member of the NWC who spoke in confidence said: “The next chairman of the PDP should come from east of Niger because that is where the PDP’s heart resides. Majority of the states in the Southsouth and Southeast are ruled by the PDP. It follows that the PDP would derive most of its revenue from this region.”
Governor Fayose is equally insisting on Southwest getting the slot. His argument was that in the history of the PDP, the zone had not led the party. According to him, Southwest is strategic to the PDP’s victory in future.
