PDP must die

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is long past its usefulness and it is time for it to die and be cremated for a stronger and more purposeful party to rise from its ashes.

Many Nigerians have expressed disappointment at the party’s consistent bungling of its role as the main opposition party. By this failure, it has let down the country and has allowed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ride roughshod over the people and get away with less than satisfactory governance.

The expectation of many Nigerians is that just as the APC, while in opposition, kept the PDP on its toes by always raising issues concerning the management of the polity and the economy, thus forcing the then ruling party to toe the path of reason in many instances, that the PDP would do the same in opposition and avail the country an opportunity to experience good governance and development. But that has not happened because the PDP does not understand that the role of the opposition party in any country is almost as important as that of the ruling party. While the ruling party provides leadership, the opposition party serves as the check on the excesses of the ruling party. It is a vibrant opposition that makes it impossible for a president to assume absolute power. Where virile opposition is lacking, the possibility of the president assuming absolute power is high and the consequence of absolute corruption becomes inevitable.

With an active opposition party, good governance is almost a cinch because a robust alternative is always provided. The ruling party, not wanting to be outsmarted by the opposition, goes into the recesses of its mind to proffer solutions to the nation’s challenges. But where strong opposition is lacking, the ruling party takes the people for granted and the populace suffers the incompetence of both the ruling and opposition parties. They are robbed of the fruit of democracy and the hope of redress. It is only when there is a viable opposition that the chance of change arises.

It is apparent that the PDP is not cut out for opposition role. It was formed with the sole purpose of gaining and controlling power. When it came into existence in 1998, it was clear that it would win the general election because it paraded all the forces that could make it possible. PDP, until last year, had never imagined itself out of power at the centre. Hence, at the height of its arrogance, it described itself as the largest party in Africa which was destined to rule for 60 years. Most PDP members cannot contemplate being out of control of state levers and resources. The bait deployed to draw its membership was the control of government. Anyone who did not have the appetite for control could not survive in the party. Hence, shortly after the party lost the presidential election in 2015, there was an exodus of staunch members into the new bride, the APC. Because PDP is a party in whose DNA is hunger for control, even when the party has become a carcass, there is still a struggle for control over its cadaver. PDP does not realize that the essence of democracy is not who becomes what in the political process but what the country becomes as a consequence of the process.

Expecting the PDP to play the opposition role is a misplaced hope that will end in frustration. This is why the party has to die. A political party, though formed to form government, must be able to provide credible opposition when out of power. This will give hope to the populace that it can turn elsewhere if the ruling party fails to meet its expectations. The opposition must always pose a threat to the ruling party by presenting itself as an alternative for the people. There must be an element of fear in the ruling party that it might lose an election if it fails to deliver on its promises. The way the PDP is at the moment, it does not pose any threat to APC. It is so divided that it will find it extremely difficult to win even a local government election in any part of the country. Tragically, the PDP could even be deployed as a tool by the ruling party to perpetuate itself in power. What is the use of an opposition party that does not give government the jitters? Of what benefit is an opposition party that does not cause the government sleepless night? What is the purpose of an opposition party that will readily cooperate with the ruling party to self-destruct?

PDP must die because, unfortunately until it is interred, the possibility of a strong opposition looks very grim.

But if despite the visible terminal ailment of the party it is unwilling to give up the ghost, those who want the best for Nigeria must organize euthanasia for it. We must get rid of PDP by all means possible. It is in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians for PDP to die. Until this happens, good governance will only be as defined by the ruling party and its acolytes.