Moves to rebuild Nigeria’s main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have intensified among stakeholders in recent months after its outing in the 2023 general election.
After ruling the country for sixteen unbroken years, the PDP lost power at the centre after losing the presidential poll and some states under its control in the 2015 general election. It was the first time a democratically elected government would lose power to an opposition in a historic election.
Since then, the party has remained in opposition. However, its efforts to challenge the ruling APC and clinch the power at the centre was hampered by serious internal rift among its leaders, which arose after the party’s presidential primary election.
The crisis divided the party, contributing to its below par outing at the polls.
Shortly after the exercise, the party’s then national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu was suspended by his ward executives and subsequently sacked from office.
The executive members of Igyoroy ward, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, had passed a vote of no confidence in Ayu, accusing him of anti-party activities in March 2023.
The Igyoroy ward executives also accused Ayu of not voting in the March 18 governorship and House of Assembly election in the state and also working against the success of the PDP in his ward during the elections.
Ayu was shown the way out over his alleged refusal to honour an agreement on the zoning of political positions, the fallout of the last elections, and his daring move to summon his then state governor, Samuel Ortom, before the disciplinary committee of the party, were some of his sins.
He was subsequently replaced by Umar Damagum in acting capacity.
The Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) has made bold moves to reposition the party and has urged party leaders to let bygone be bygone.
The party has remained divided between the camps loyal to PDP presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar; and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, a fallout of the last presidential election which also manifested in the recent National Assembly leadership election.
In recent months, party leaders, at national and state levels have held several meetings to resolve issues which emanated during the electioneering period.
Also about two weeks ago, the party leaders, including Atiku met again in Abuja to deliberate on the fate of the party and at the meeting the leaders renewed their commitment to the party and be disciplined in the interest of the party.
Observers have said that the reconciliation efforts would not be an easy task, because of the deepness of the rot in the PDP.
They further said that the problem was not only at the national level, but that several state chapters are engulfed in internal wrangling.
Similarly, some leaders of the party have complained that there were moles planted by the ruling party in some PDP’s state chapters.
There are also reports that some leaders were not cooperating and were working to scuttle the reconciliation efforts of the party.
“I think some people are just working for APC and pretending to be with us. These people worked for the other parties in the general election after pretending to be with us all through the campaign.
“Also because we’ve been out of power for a long time our people are languishing for lack of patronage.
“Many are buffeted and demoralised. If the party must survive there is a need for everyone to be involved,” Shola Odun, a chieftain of the party in Lagos, said.
Some party members told BusinessDay the reconciliation and restructuring of the party was inevitable for it to survive.
Speaking recently, Osita Chidoka, a chieftain and former minister of Aviation, warned that the opposition party could become extinct if reforms are not made urgently.
Chidoka expressed concern that the PDP lost some of its strongholds to the Labour Party (LP) in the last general election.
According to Chidoka, “The PDP is a government that was in power for 16 years. Its instinct is that of a government party; not an opposition party. And it has taken us eight years to begin to realise this.
“We smell the coffee; that it’s not four years and we are back, or we are coming back the next day.
“Now, we are beginning to see that PDP itself needs to be reformed. It needs to renew and re-imagine itself to be able to begin to play the role of opposition, knowing full well that we have a politician as president.” If PDP doesn’t get its acts together, it will be an extinct party.”
The former minister further stated that the party needed to get a leadership that would rise to the challenge of playing the role of opposition effectively.
“So, we need to wake up, smell the coffee, find the kind of leadership that will represent us in an opposition atmosphere, and begin to do the work of the opposition.
“We must do the work of mobilisation and imbibe technology. The last four years have taught us a bitter lesson that a young party can come up and take away PDP strongholds in an election cycle,“Chidoka added.
Moves to install Saraki as chairman
Worried by the dwindling fortunes of the party in recent time, some critical stakeholders of the party are favourable disposed to the drafting of former senate president, Bukola Saraki as the party’s national chairman to rebuild PDP.
In recent months there are various reports linking the former senate president to the PDP’s chairmanship position.
Some chieftains are favourable to Saraki because he is seen as someone who can rally support of the aggrieved members and work for the resuscitation of the main opposition party.
However, the G5 block is also said to be uncomfortable with Saraki as the former Kwara State governor reportedly played the ostrich in the former’s face-off with Atiku and Ayu before the presidential election.
Some of Saraki’s close political associates have in recent months admitted that there was pressure on Saraki from some chieftains, especially party members from his zone, for him to come and build the party.
“A lot of people in the country and across other zones want him to come and rebuild the party,” Osaro Onaiwu, national coordinator of Saraki support group recently said.
Osaro further stated that the former Senate president has not made up his mind.
“As it stands, he is the only one that can bring everyone back to the table; he is a unifying factor, the bridge between the old and the young, South and North.
“He has done it before during the reconciliation of the party, he went round the country, so he will do it if he accepts the job. People are putting pressure on him to come and do the job,” Osaro added.
Gbenga Ogunleye, a PDP chieftain and communication strategist, said Saraki is a consummate gentleman and an excellent bridge builder for the rebranding and rebuilding of the party.
According to him, “He will make a perfect fit to lead the rebrand project for the PDP.
“He is a leader that is well acceptable to leaders and members of the party across the countries and divides.
“He has the mental capacity and the set of skills required. His emergence will be a step in the right direction.”
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However, analysts have doubted the likelihood of Saraki accepting the PDP’s chairmanship position; they said it was obvious that the ambition of Saraki was to be president.
The analysts noted that such may be defeated if he accepts the chairmanship position now.
“Saraki ultimate ambition is to be president, which to him may be a better option. If he accepts the PDP’s chairmanship position now, it may be difficult for him to emerge the presidential candidate of the party in 2027.
“He may not likely accept it because of his ambition he may turn and influence someone that would be the chairman, “Kunle Okunade, political analyst said.
Meanwhile, there are reports that some friends of the former Kwara governor are against the plan to bring Saraki as the party chairman.
They were of the view that Saraki had brought PDP back to life after persuading many former members who had defected to the APC to return to the opposition party, but the Ayu’s led leadership because of their vested interests, destroyed the party.
Patrick Ubong, political analyst said the problem with PDP was partly greed and insincerity of party leaders which must be checked for any meaningful progress for the party.
“The challenge facing the PDP is not one a single person can solve, it is possible for Saraki to mobilise well-meaning members of the party to begin an era of rebuilding and rebranding the party.
“But the major problem of the party is the insincerity and greed of its members and to bring the party back on its track requires members abandoning their old ways and working together with singleness of purpose, but whether or not Saraki can lead such a process of refocusing the members remains to be seen, “ Ubong said.
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