PDP: The coming implosion over 2023

PDP: The coming implosion over 2023
By OBINNA EZUGWU

Nigeria’s key opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appear to have managed the defection of one of its governors, Engr. Dave Umahi to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) well. While there had been further speculations about Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, among others, joining the Ebonyi governor to the APC, what has played out is a sort of solidarity to the party by its members in the zone.
But beneath the solidarity displayed by the party’s stalwarts in Ebonyi and the rest of the South East, lies a lurking trouble that could tear it apart ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Obvious from Umahi’s decision to quit the PDP is part of a plot to seek power in 2023. He had noted at a press conference in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi, on Tuesday, that he was joining the ruling party because of “injustice” done to the South East PDP, wondering why the PDP has not zoned the presidency to the region.
“Let me clear the air and state that In ever sort for the ticket of PDP Presidency and I will not. Whoever that said that I moved to APC because they refused to zone the ticket to me is being very mischievous. Because even if PDP promises me, an individual a presidential ticket, how does it work? “he had said.
“It is expected that we’ll over 8000 delegates would elect the person and such promise cannot happen without more than 10 or 20 people. People are being very mischievous but I tell you, there are a lot of prominent people from South East that can take the slot of PDP.”
Umahi’s claim that the PDP had been unfair to the South East attracted series of justifiable rebuke from the party’s leadership and South Easterners themselves. It was a patently false claim. The South East owned the PDP, and held positions they would only dream about under the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
To prove its case against the Ebonyi governor, the party’s leadership on Wednesday released a document detailing top political posts held by the Igbo under its successive administrations from 1999 to 2015. In the document compiled by the publicity department of the party and released in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP listed the various offices that the Igbo had occupied since 1999.
The list showed that the South East produced five Senate presidents (Senators Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara and Kenechukwu Nnamani); one deputy president of the Senate (Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who held the position for 12years); deputy speaker of the House of Representatives (Hon. Emeka Ihedioha) and party chairmen (Chief Vincent Ogbulafor and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo).
It said: “Under the PDP, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika was Chief of Army Staff. Under the PDP, Dr. Charles Soludo was CBN Governor. Under the PDP, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was Minister of Finance. Under the PDP, Prof. Maurice Iwu was the INEC chairman. Under the PDP, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim was Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF).
“Under the PDP, Governor Dave Umahi was acting state chairman, state chairman, deputy governor and now governor for two terms. Under the PDP, Governor Dave Umahi’s younger brother, Chief Austin Umahi was national vice-chairman, South-east. Under the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, was made the PDP vice presidential candidate in 2019 general election.”
The party then asked: “What has the APC done for the people of the South East?” Statistics suggest not much.
The Ebonyi PDP National Assembly Caucus led by Senator Sam Egwu made the same point while rebuking Umahi. In a statement last week, the caucus noted that, “we consider it impolitic and unwise to give ultimatum and conditionalities in a bid to secure zoning to the South East.
“Indeed, if there is any Ebonyi person who ought to remain eternally grateful to the PDP, it is the Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, a man who was appointed the Ebonyi State chairman of the PDP, made deputy governor of the PDP administration and was elected governor for two terms under the PDP.”
But when the chips are down, the fireworks are all about 2023, and which zone will get the nod to produce the opposition party’s presidential candidate, and that’s shaping up to be a source a major crisis in the party.
At the heart of the recent back and forth, is the desire of the South East to produce the next president of Nigeria. For their loyalty to the PDP over the years, and the fact that the zone remains the only one yet to produce an executive president since independence, the people of the South East are insisting that they not only deserve to take the party’s presidential ticket, but to also be backed by other Nigerians to produce the next president.
Speaking after being presented with a Legacy Merit Award as the “Most Outstanding Performing Senator in the South east 2020” by the NUJ, Imo State council, Senate Minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, insisted that the quest for a president of Igbo extraction in 2023 was non-negotiable.
It’s an argument being repeated by various PDP stakeholders in the zone. While rebuking Umahi for his accusations against the party last week, Ebonyi PDP National Assembly caucus, maintained, however, that it was the turn of the South East to produce the party’s presidential candidate.
The same demand has also been made by the governors of the zone and various socio-cultural groups, in what has become a rallying call in a zone that has remained the party’s stronghold since 1999. And evidently believes time has come to reap the reward for such loyalty.
But the tough reality is that this quest may not be actualized, which is certain to cause crisis in the party.
“The South East’s case is clear, the members of the PDP there are justified to demand that they be given the presidential ticket,” said Abuja based legal practitioner, Chidi Ezeugo. “But the other truth is that the party will be more inclined to zone presidency to the North in order to stand better chance of winning. It’s the reality of today’s politics.”
Observers note that going into 2023, the opposition party would be most concerned about reclaiming power from the APC, and given the present political configuration, ceding its ticket to the South East would put it in obvious disadvantage.
“The agitation by the zone is justified, but we have to face reality,” a key party member from the South West to our Correspondent. “The truth is that the our major concern now is winning power back in 2023, and I think for us as a party, fielding a Northern candidate will serve us better.”
The party is indeed said to be more inclined to retain zoning of its presidential ticket to the North, with Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar being considered front runners.
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike who has since emerged a key power broker in the party, is said to be backing Tambuwal with the possible intention of running as vice presidential candidate, a projection that could further alienate the South East.
Some party members have said, however, that the party may have to discard zoning and throw the field open to all zones. Still, there are those who insist that power should remain in the North because the South has had more years in governance since the return of democracy in 1999.
“If you calculate the years each region has had power since for 21 years from 1999, the South has had 14 years and the North has had seven years,” noted Chief Abia Onyike, political analysts and director of publicity, Alaigbo Development Foundation.
“By 2023 when we would have had 24 years of democracy, the North would have had 10 years, while the South would have had 14. I know a number of Northerners who are already saying that they will also have to do at least 14 years before returning power to the South.
But of course, when you check the overall number of years that each region has had power, the North has had the lion share.
“Yes, the PDP will have a tough time deciding where to zone its presidential candidate in 2023, the South East deserves it and will insist, which will create a problem if they don’t get. But I also think that if someone like Atiku is given the ticket, he may do four years in power and handover to the South East. That to me; this may be an easier path to South East presidency.”