Eventually, the much-touted PDP convention has come and gone. The convention; amidst court case instituted by the erstwhile national chairman of the party, Prince Secondus, began on October 30th and ended on 31st of same month.
The convention was at the instance of the election and ratification of National Executive Council officials. The National Executive Committee is the body saddled with the responsibility of running the affairs of the party. The body is crucial to the presidential primary of the party.
The issue of who controls the party machinery is not a child’s play. The fierceness that is associated with the exercise is understandable because the convention is a battle ground to test wits, popularity and relevance. Thus, the unending maneuvering and nocturnal meetings.
There are power blocs in every party. Meanwhile, the most vocal bloc is the governors’ forum. Senators’ forum and others are not as powerful as the committee of state governors.
Political parties get funds from elected officers in form of levies, donations from wealthy political bigwigs and gratifications from manufacturing cum construction companies. The list is endless. However, the bulk of the fund comes from the governors. Thus, their over-bearing influence. As long as the governors remain the major financiers of a political party, the control of the structure would reside in them.
He who pays the Piper, dictates the tune.
The victories of both Dr. Ayu as national chairman and Taofeek Arapaja as Deputy Chairman South are products of secret cult – like relationship amongst the governors. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu is a known figure in the party. He was once a senate president in Nigeria. Ayu was the candidate of his state governor, Ortom while Taofeek Arapaja, who himself was once a deputy governor to Alao Akala of Oyo state was the annointed candidate of governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.
It was reported that two hours before voting, Atiku, Saraki and Lamido shrugged off their big men status as they made their way to state pavilions housing delegates to lure delegates in support for Oyinlola. The deft move was meant to neutralize the influence of the governors. However, the move turned out an exercise in futility as Arapaja polled a whooping total of 2,004 votes to beat Oyinlola’s meagre votes of 705 .
The defeat of former governor of osun state, Oyinlola by Taofeek Arapaja was as a result of his closeness to Obasanjo. The governors of the party are obviously not pleased with any retired general dictating the pace in the party again.
Whatever respect they hitherto had for them; especially OBJ, may have vanished due to the manner with which the former president disgraced the party when he tore his membership ID card in the full glare of the world. The action of Obasanjo was a misnormer. It was least expected of a personality like him. Obasanjo should not have torn the identity card in the public. One expected somebody like him to be able to control his adrenaline. Adrenal gland controls anger. Anger lacks timidity.
The action of Obasanjo was in the governors’ blast radius. It drew the ire of the governors and that was why his influence was laid to waste. Oyinlola was also a former governor but his intimacy with Obasanjo was his albatross. That he once ditched the party for APC was another stroke in the camel’s back.
One noticeable development within the party is the uncommon love now existing within the rank and file of PDP governors. For the first time in the history of the party, the governors now speak with one voice. The unanimity in the decisions taken so far; from the ouster of Uche Seconds to the convention is a testament to the mutual trust. Party positions were shared amongst the governors and were followed to the letter without much ado, legal tussle to stop the convention were unanimously confronted, the spirit of comraderie is waxing and regular communication within the party governors’ forum has improved. With this new-foumd love, it may be difficult for an “alien” to emerge as the party’s presidential election in 2023. The situation this time would be different from what transpired in the last convention where Alhaji Atiku stole the show despite the gang-up from some Rivers State governor, Wike. Governor Wike had threw his weight behind Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto with a reported caveat and a treaty that he would be picked as running mate.
Meanwhile, politics is not religion. Political trust is not wholesome. In politics, one needs to have a shock absorber. According to Asiwaju Tinubu; ” I have always prepared for disappointment”. This is wisdom. The interpretation of which is the non-existence of permanent friend or foe in politics. Former Oyo state governor, Senator Ladoja once gave an admonition that anything is possible in politics. No matter the vituperation and public criticism, politicians are always friends. Alhaji Atiku stood in as the groom’s father when Buhari’s son was wedding. The president was physically present. This is the politics of my dream. A political co-habitation where politicians could dine and wine together without suspicion. A situation where campaign would be issue-based. A situation where the atmosphere would be free from campaign of calumny and where political supporters would not fan embers of discord. Permit me to salute the courage of former governor Fayose on this aspect. It was only Fayose, outside APC, that went to visit Tinubu after his return from London medical treatment.
The administrative acumen of the convention planning committee chairman and Secretary are commendable. The duo of Governors Fintiri of Adamawa and Engineer Seyi Makinde of Oyo state did a yeoman’s job. They deserve a credit.
Now that the convention is over, two crucial issues await PDP. The threat by Secondus to approach supreme Court and the battle to pick 2023 presidential aspirants from the likes of the perennial presidential hopeful Atiku, Tambuwal and Saraki. Coincidentally, the trio were at the forefront in the last presidential primary convention.
All the same, the earlier the party mends fences, the more potent their opposition to APC come 2023.
Comrade Lekan Badmus is a columnist with Oduduwa News.
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