LEON USIGBE takes a look at what looks like the main obstacle in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) confident ride into 2023 elections.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is on a mission to rescue Nigeria from next year, confident that it will emerge victorious in the coming general elections. Its grounds of certitude are not difficult to fathom. It is in the running with an adversary that swept it out of power with emphatic declarations of its capacity to change the country and transform the lot of the citizens to the envy of the world, but who has since seen itself struggling to rationalise its spectacular lack of capacity to deliver on its glorious pledges to luckless Nigerians.
Many in the PDP hierarchy, its followers and even the neutrals are suggesting that the main opposition party had never been in a better position to seize the reins of power than it is now because the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been its major advertiser through its wanton incompetence in the governance of the country. They opine that despite boasting of reviving agriculture and modernising infrastructure, there is very little to show in the lives of the ordinary citizens that the government actually thinks about their conditions. The economy is in tatters, they point out. It is the poor masses that bear the brunt. Observers also like to assume that the level of insecurity, one of the major planks upon which the administration leapt to power, has grown beyond levels ever imagined and every Nigerian is simply afraid that they could be consumed under a situation where the government seems to have been completely overwhelmed.
The PDP now boldly proclaims that the problem of the APC and its government is corruption, impunity and recklessness, factors which it says have come with other malaise including the biting petrol and diesel crisis, collapsed national grid, distressed aviation sector, plummeting currency and near collapse of the production and service sectors of the economy. Yet, the ruling party is nervous about people speaking out or contemplating any sort of mass action to draw attention to their pitiable situation.
Its national spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, puts it thus, “APC is afraid of Nigerians for bungling the once thriving $550 billion economy (largest in Africa and 26th globally) handed over to it by the PDP in 2015 and reducing our nation to the poverty capital of the world where over 80 million citizens, according to official reports, can no longer afford their daily meals and other basic necessities of life.
“Why would the APC not be afraid of the people when it opened our nation to terrorists and bandits who it reportedly imported from neighbouring countries in 2015 to help APC muscle and rig the elections, after which APC leaders failed to honour their deal to pay the said mercenaries for the heinous ‘services’ they were contracted to provide against Nigerians by the APC? The APC is uncomfortable, having been indicted for human rights violations including reported cases of extra-judicial killings, torture, illegal arrests, detentions and other atrocious acts as contained in the June 2021 report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).”
The soaring confidence in the main opposition party revolves around the current economic indices that have become negatively unrecognisable from what they affirm they passed on as the preceding ruling party in 2015. From over $550 billion economy (the largest in Africa) to the ‘Poverty Capital of the World;’ from an exchange rate of N189 per dollar to officially N415 and N587 in the more popular parallel market; from an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent to 33 percent; from petrol pump price of N87 per liter to N165 and rising, and from a debt portfolio of about N12 trillion to N33 trillion under the APC, the PDP believes the governing party is primed to be booted out of office by Nigerians next year and it stands ready to take its place to correct things.
However, for the government it seeks to chase out of power, this ambition is a pipe dream. «But we wish to remind the now tepid opposition party that it was Nigerians that gave it the boot seven years ago, and those same Nigerians have not forgotten the travails they experienced, at a time the country was awash with money: no power, no infrastructure, insurgents ran riot round the nation, and our collective patrimony was looted blind. Those same Nigerians are not ready for another PDP misrule, not now, and perhaps not for a long time to come,” presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, had been quick to remind the PDP. The Presidency’s point of view though has hardly deterred the PDP in its schemes to arrive Aso Rock on May 29, 2023.
But pundits are of the opinion that the greatest obstacles to its ability to pluck what seems like low hanging fruits in 2023 is coming from within its ranks – the presidential ambitions of some of its leading lights and its ability to resolve the zoning question. While the APC appears settled for power shift to the south, the PDP is facing a quagmire because some of the aspirants are recalcitrant towards the idea. Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; governors Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed, of Sokoto and Bauchi states, respectively, and former president of the Senate, BukolaSaraki, all from the north, have so far displayed an uncanny lack of disposition to power rotation. Yet, the mood of many in the country is that a northerner cannot possibly become Nigeria’s next president after eight years of Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner.
Therefore, the PDP zoning committee has its work cut out in conjuring up an acceptable position that will not cost the party its best chance to return to power. The committee comprises 37 members, with a mandate to determine suitable zoning formula for all elective offices, particularly the Presidency, Senate Presidency and House of Representatives Speakership. The membership of the committee given two weeks to submit its report for consideration was drawn from all the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, is the chairman while the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, NdudiElumelu, is the vice-chairman of the committee.The committee’s secretary is Emmanuel Ekpe.
The full list of the members comprises former governors, ministers, serving lawmakers, among other distinguished politicians. These include: Mao Ohuabunwa; BoniHaruna; Emmanuel Ibokessien; A. B. C. Nwosu; Abdul Ahmed Ningi; Boyelayefa Debekeme; Sanusi Daggash; LiyelImoke; Honourable Ndidi Elumelu; Franklin Nchita Ogbuewu; Tom Ikimi; AyodeleFayose; Mohammed Abdulrahman and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo. Others are Fidelis Izuchukwu; Sule Lamido; Mohammed Ahmed Makarfi; Aminu Wali; Ibrahim Shehu Shema; Kabiru Tanimu Turaki; Ibrahim Idris; Abubakar Kawu Baraje; Olabode George; Mike Abdul; Professor Jerry Gana; Daisi Akintan; Omotayo Dairo; Adewale Oladipo; Hosea Ayoola; Agboola; Jonah David Jang; Austin Opara; Attahiru Bafarawa; Adamu Maina Waziri and Mahadi Aliyu Gusau.
At the inauguration of the committee, PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu had said it was in line with the tradition in the party to discuss every issue, including fair distribution of offices. His words: “Before we came into office, all of you (our leaders) put heads together and ensured that we distributed party offices fairly across the country. We want to thank you for what you did. Our party came out stronger, because you are fair and you did a very transparent job,” Ayu said.
“It is our turn now to request you as the National Working Committee, acting on behalf of NEC, to formally inaugurate this committee made up of the names that have been mentioned. You will recall that in the NEC meeting, discussions we had no rancour whatsoever. To the extent that one of our governors stood up and said, sensitive as the issue may be he’s so pleased and so happy that the PDP families discuss the issue without any bitterness. I implore all of you to continue in the same spirit, PDP has a reputation of discussing whatever issues that we have.”
He also charged the members of the committee to discuss the matter with the same spirit that they discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC). “So, there should be no rancour whatsoever; remain focused on the bigger picture because that is what we want,” he advised.
The august body has till March 30 to submit its report. Should whatever it recommends fails to get the buy-in of the critical stakeholders, observers say, the PDP has got to be prepared for a rougher ride through its journey to realise its main objective.
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“Absolutely, When we came with the Buhari government in 2015 I became the minister. We were committed to a roadmap to establish a National Carrier, to concession the airports, to set up a leasing company, to establish cargo facilities and we have been doing that.”
On why the Buhari government wanted a national carrier, the minister responded: “Nigeria is situated at the centre of Africa, equidistant from all locations in Africa. 30.4 million square kilometres miles, 1.5 billion people, very green land. If Central and Eastern Africa is the belt of the continent, then Nigeria is the buckle. 200 million people and rising middle class, propensity to fly is high. Nigeria is a candidate for National Carrier.”
Sirika who insisted that the coming national carrier will be private sector driven added; “Private. Yes. 5 per cent government and no government stepping right in that company, no government control, no membership of government on board. Totally private and committed.
“Whatever we say we will do as a government since 2015, it has happened. that is why Tim Clark of Emirates, Qatar Airways and all of them are looking to go into Nigeria in multiple frequencies and multiple landing points because Nigeria is the right place for the airline business.
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