It appears all is not well with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the moment. Since the party lost at the last general election, it seems that a good number of those hanging in there are just doing so to survey where next to perch. Politicians jumping from one party to another is not alien to the Nigerian people. For most political actors, there is nothing like ideology.
Many of them are always on the move. They are only members of a party to the extent of what that party can offer them or help them to acquire for themselves. The Babel, which the PDP has become, was made manifest during the election of the principal officers last month at the 9th National Assembly, when contrary to the instruction on who to vote for, many of the PDP senators did not only disobey but also made a public show of their disobedience.
Again, last Wednesday, on the floor of the House of Representatives chamber, the PDP members took the rebellion to a notch higher when they openly disregarded the list sent to the leadership of the House on who should represent them as minority leaders.
Contrary to the list from the PDP headquarters, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, personally chose those he wanted. While the Wadata office of the main opposition party watched in disbelief and repudiated the list reeled out by the speaker, Ndudi Elumelu, the newly crowned minority leader, the favoured one, took the trophy, in celebration mood, to Senator Walid Jibrin, chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), who immediately also, in a feat of ecstasy, gave a seal of approval.
Although Jibrin has since made a volte-face, backing his party’s list, some observers believe that at his level, he should not have clapped with both hands when Elumelu came jubilating; he should have clapped with one hand, reserving the other to do the complete clapping when he must have got the full gist of the matter, assuming he did not know, even given his prominent position in the party.
Again, in what appeared as an ambush, when the PDP threatened to sanction the “erring lawmakers”, they allegedly chorused in unison, “we will decamp to another party.” This clearly shows that some are PDP in the day but other parties’ faithful at night. Some appear to be PDP physically, but their heart is somewhere else.
By Friday, about 86 or more members of the PDP in the House had appended their signatures and sponsored a full-page advert in some national dailies, congratulating the four minority leaders, whose elevation is still a source of controversy. Could it be pre-meditated? It appears that the PDP will not be able to “cage” these members. It also seems that there must be something beating the drum for them, the rhythm of which they’re dancing to.
It is indeed, of no use pursuing the matter, because it may lead to something else. The Nigerian brand of politicians is a kind you do not and cannot predict their next move.
They go only where their stomach is; service is never their drive even though they trumpet that a lot. Even those remaining in the PDP today at the highest level may be eying somewhere else.
For them, it is the stomach that matters. If the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) loses power today, you will see the mass exodus of those who now behave as though their umbilical cords were tied to the party. Talk of the wall gecko you cannot hold by the tail!
Zebulon Agomuo
