…as PDP continues to limp on one leg as 2023 knocks
…will Govs allow Secondus to lead the party to a third defeat?
By Emman Ovuakporie
The Apex organ of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), NEC will meet today to finally nail the coffin of all the shortcomings of the party before its convention in October.
Also, the hanging fate of the embattled chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus will be put to rest.
The NewsGuru.com, (TNG) in this analysis will look into the major issues bedeviling the main opposition party in Nigeria which technically gave birth to the ruling All Progressives Congress,(APC) in 2015 when the new PDP (nPDP) collapsed its structure into APC.
Definitely the party’s NEC must take a position on whether the party is ready for a three straight defeat in 2023 as the party’s foundation is apparently facing an imminent collapse, if adequate restructuring is not carried out immediately.
The party must look into the following areas if it’s seriously thinking of unseating the ruling party that has massively failed on all fronts:
*The Gale of defections at both state and national levels
*The stinking ineptitude that pervades its national leadership
*A free and fair playing ground to attract the many APC members willing to join the party provided the party is properly structured.
And finally, the Secondus debacle that has continued to bedevil the party.
The question boggling PDP party stalwarts is whether it will be right to allow the Secondus led leadership though under suspension due to a court order to lead the party to another electoral defeat.
Some powerful members strongly believe that even allowing him to complete his tenure could spell doom for the party.
What has really peeved the true loyalists of the party is the Gale of defections in the last seven months particularly in the National Assembly.
In the month of July alone, four members of the party in the House of Representatives defected and a state Governor of the party too.
A lawmaker in the House, Hon Rima Shawulu disappointed by the unholy drift of the party was forced to write Secondus to quit the scene.
In the letter, read in part, Shawulu said” sir, I plead with you to show leadership today and in the interest of the party, your good name, and the future of Nigeria to resign immediately as National Chairman
“Today, not unexpectedly, four members of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State denounced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Unlike other times, when leaders of the party in the House (both the Minority Caucus Leadership and the House PDP Caucus Leadership), put up some form of protest, not a whisper was heard or a hand raised in protest against the decamping!
“We don’t need a soothsayer to know that as our party weakens or its leadership abandons pressing issues to embark on trips to ‘Afghanistan’ such as last week’s protests against Loretta’s Onochie’s nomination as a commissioner of INEC, more members will be tempted to leave the party to secure their political future.
His letter signalled the many headaches that ensued and the party is still grappling to balance on one leg as the embattled chairman has vowed to help to further sink the party.
It was under his watch that the APC made nonsense of the letter he wrote to the House after the ninth Assembly was inaugurated as the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila simply threw his letter into archival dustbin.
The party gradually and slowly became invisible in National Assembly but got to its peak in 2021 because there was no firm leadership at the national level of the party.
This is outside many allegations against the Rivers State prince who has continued to insist that until he is properly disgraced he won’t resign rather he would sink the PDP ship.
Even the man that brought him on board, the fire spitting Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has vowed that Secondus must show him his back to allow the party progress.
Wike is known for his forthrightness even in the face of massive provocation, he would rather stand tall with the truth.
Point an AK47 to his head, the Rivers State Governor will tenaciously stand with the truth.
He crowned Secondus but the same man is saying this is another King Saul that has lost his anointing, let us crown another King to take us out of the wilderness.
The party at this stage needs to put many structures in place to attract it to many out there clamouring to return from vacation in APC.
Failure to restructure now will comfortably pave way for another massive defeat in 2023 as the party will still be limping on one leg.
As NEC takes a position today, PDP should purge itself properly before its convention in October or face the reality of failure in 2023.