PDP convention: The morning after and 2019

Deputy Editor, LEON USIGBE, reviews the outcome of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and what lies ahead on the road to 2019.

It was a tightly controlled affair. The uneducated would have thought that it was a political party in power that had an event given the level of security that accompanied the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Credit to the Federal Government for availing the opposition party with the required security which was set up in layers to make sure that no unauthorised persons had access to within reasonable radius of the venue. The organisers wanted it watertight, not just in terms of security but also in what was allowed to occur at the event.

For the sake of time maximisation, the usual atmosphere of pomp and ceremony engendered by artistes and other entertainers was eliminated. Consequently, there were no interludes of music, drama or any other sort of entertainment, thereby helping the event to proceed briskly. It passed off peacefully.

The outcome was predictable particularly as far as the election into the office of the National Chairman of the party is concerned. Prince Uche Secondus was declared winner in a contest with Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Professor Taoheed Adedoja. It was expected because well before the convention day, he seemed to be the favourite of the PDP establishment even though from time to time, some stakeholders kicked against what they thought was a deliberate plan to tailor the process in his favour.

Chief Gbenga Daniel, Chief Jimi Agbaje, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Olusegun Aderemi withdrew from the chairmanship race to increase the chances of a candidate from the south-west to emerge. Chief Bode George withdrew on account of what he said was insult on the Yoruba race by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State,  seen as the principal backer of the eventual winner. But there was no agreement among the remaining south-west candidates including Adeniran and Adedoja heading into election night. They therefore were compelled to rough it out with Secondus and Dokpesi at the poll.

Adeniran was initially sure of the backing of the prominent members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) who he believed could mobilize the votes of northern delegates for him. That appeared to be the case until his hopes were dashed by the sudden appearance at the convention of a “Unity List” of preferred candidates for each of the post with his name conspicuously missing. He cried foul moments before the poll was due to open. His reason was that the yet-to-be conducted election had been compromised to achieve a predetermined outcome.

The statement issued by his campaign organization said: “We reject the entire electoral process of December 9, 2017. The election has been grossly compromised to achieve a predetermined end in line with the illegal Unity List prepared by Governors Wike and Ayodele Fayose and foisted on the entire delegates. Consequently, we submit that this election is a sham and the result therefrom is unacceptable. We reject it in its entirety. We consider this so-called election as a travesty of democracy and due process, which further entrenches the culture of impunity that has done a great damage to the party in the past. Our position is also that this election should be cancelled and the entire leadership of the party should be handed over to the Board of Trustees which we regard as the conscience of the party,  to organise a credible election for the party in due course.”

Despite his outlined reasons, observers believe that Adeniran was abandoned  just before the poll opened by many of those he trusted to support him to win the election.  His support just waned and he was no longer in the position to muster enough votes to make him the chairman. Conversely, the tide looked to have flowed towards Secondus whose handlers succeeded in convincing most of the delegates that he was the best man for the job.   Adeniran’s protest over the unity list was therefore akin to a drowning man clutching on any straw to stay alive.

Political watchers think that he should have handled the situation in a different way as an elder and member of the BoT of the party, rather than seeking to discredit the process. They believe that he should simply have announced his withdrawal, pray for the best for the PDP and where necessary, press for a redress within the internal resolution mechanisms of the party.

As for Dokpesi, he was seen as the stormy petrel of the election night. The unity list also had a strong impact on him and he made sure it showed. In fact, he was the first candidate, utilising the instrumentality of his media outfit that aired the convention live, to bring the nation’s attention to the list. Every other hour, Dokpesi seemed to shout himself hoarse in an effort to also discredit the list.  He did not have his way as he obviously belonged to the minority of delegates who were not at home with the list because as it turned out, the majority without, overt compulsion, voted as prescribed by the list. Though Adeniran cited Wike and Fayose as those  behind the list, it is not certain how it was compiled.  But there is no doubt that the critical stakeholders of the party had managed to reach a strong agreement on it.

Apart from the chairman, other positions were voted for as they were contained in the list which was apparently designed to conform with the zoning principle of the PDP. Only time will unveil though the roles played by former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, state governors, and others in the preparation of the list. Even though the authorship could be pinned down to any individual, knowledgeable sources argue that the list was influenced in the main by the need for the full application of the zoning principle or there could have been a lopsided PDP National Working Committee (NWC) for the next four years.

Dokpesi has since accepted the result and congratulated Secondus as he believed that the outcome of the convention is a victory for the party. Atiku too is in the forefront of other thick voices in the party to express goodwill towards the Secondus-led NWC, and all around the country, it appears to be gaining more support, which could be an indication that the party may have indeed finally pulled through its most critical crisis just in time to focus on its prime objective of reclaiming power in 2019.

But going forward could be tricky and fraught with its own challenges particularly from who becomes the  presidential candidate in the election. Former governors Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Shekarau are the only aspirants to have openly declared their interest so far. The Chairman of the just dissolved PDP National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, is a perennial aspirant and may now fancy his chances of picking the ticket after successfully reviving the party while Atiku returned to the party he helped to found, with the sole aim of flying its flag at the election.

Other aspirants may join but observers say how the PDP goes about the job of selecting its presidential candidate will be critical to its survival and chances of fulfilling its aspiration of taking over Aso Rock in 2019