Akwa Ibom PDP- Dangers ahead

 

The ruling PDP knows that conceding power to an opposition party is the least thing they would grapple with at this crucial time. Beginning from the presidency, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to stake a claim at Aso Rock and from there, make inroads to PDP dominated states. With ex-Head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as their standard bearer, observers believe it’s not going to be business as usual for the Peoples Democratic Party in next year’s much anticipated elections.

Meanwhile, diehard supporters of Goodluck Jonathan have vowed to ensure victory for the PDP at the polls regardless of the threat posed by the opposition. But away from rhetoric and empty boast, the stark reality is that a bad omen looms in the air for the ruling PDP if the crisis rocking the party in some states is not resolved with dispatch and the much needed peace restored among feuding factions in the coming days to avert the calamity that prowls in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, Enugu, Bayelsa, Abia states and many others. Failure to do justice to all will signal a death knell for PDP and Jonathan’s re-election bid.

When state governors are given license to manipulate and criminally short-change the people to suit their whims and caprices, those egging them on should brace up for the most epic and keenly contested elections in the country where nobody is guaranteed victory come next year. Jonathan must prove to us that he is the president of Nigeria and not the governors by being alive to his responsibilities. He should call a spade a spade and act pronto to salvage what remains of PDP in Akwa Ibom state. If he allows Gov. Akpabio to run away with the most pathetic, demonic and criminal exercise called PDP guber primary election on Dec, 8 2014 that produced his stooge Mr. Udom Emmanuel as the party’s standard bearer in the state, then, he should bid goodbye to PDP’s stranglehold on Akwa Ibom state. The people are raging with anger over that farce and stage managed drama that had the new Akwa Ibom stadium as its setting.

They are not looking up to Christmas as their fundamental human rights have been dealt a fatal blow by powerful hawks.  The whole town is in a pensive mood. If you habour any doubt, take a walk round the streets, sample the pulse of the people and you’ll be appalled by the total rejection of Akpabio’s imposition agenda. Pundits say that the succession plan is a ploy for Akpabio to get a third term ticket. That’s the more reason the people of Akwa Ibom state are united against this evil and vendetta-infested ambition that have threatened the fragile peace in the state to its very foundations. Effort to impose Bro. Udom on the people is akin to forcing a bitter pill down the throat of sound minds. Oro, one of the tribes making up Akwa Ibom have threatened to secede if the guber primary is not cancelled and a new one conducted. That’s how pathetic the situation is. The elders, stakeholders and eminent statesmen have been insulted and degraded. Their voices have been stifled and their reputation sullied. What a shame! Paid and hired agents have infiltrated the states, turning journalists overnight and writing spurious articles looking for a prey to deceive.

What a lost generation of misguided folks! You don’t govern a people not known to you. One, operates well in a familiar terrain by avoiding the fish out of water experience. We need a man that have been with the people and is freely chosen in a fair and transparent election not a pre-determined exercise cooked in government coffers. Udom is qualified to be the governor of Akwa Ibom state just like other angered and disenfranchised aspirants. All what the people are asking for is for a winner to emerge from a fair contest. Everybody will accept the outcome of such exercise; but when one emerges via a fraudulent and pre-determined drama series, it cannot go down well with the people because he who comes to equity must do so with clean hands. The people are not fools to be deceived so easily. No way. Even someone that has not been to the four walls of any school knows that the December 8th drama series (season 5) was a daylight robbery and flagrant distortion of democracy. The party must reject the exercise that produced Udom Emmanuel as PDP guber candidate for Akwa Ibom state. 22 out of 23 aspirants cannot be wrong. 

The news that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has given an injunction restraining INEC and the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) from flaunting Udom’s name as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom state brought relief and jollity to the people. For many, it was and rightly remains a ruling for democracy and PDP in the state.  The mood of the state which had hitherto been in doom and gloom regained life instantly when the news filtered into public domain. Now that the court has assented to what is true and just, the leadership of the party should immediately order for a fresh, proper and pro-democracy guber primary. Another viable option is a consensus candidate chosen by all the aspirants and stakeholders in the state.

For Akpabio, having put in place enduring structures in the state, the most honourable thing would have been to leave the stage. That he is rooting for a particular candidate is in order but doing so forcefully by setting aside all party rules and democratic norms is wrong. As it is, I foresee Akpabio holding a meeting with all the aspirants in a bid to come up with a consensus candidate for the party for peace to reign. It’s the best and most advisable thing to do now that it’s still morning. The elders of the party have sued for peace by throwing the door open for members who dumped the party on account of one form of marginalisation or the other. The move is timely and apt reflective of what everybody desires. There’s urgent need to close ranks and reposition the party for the battle of 2015. It’s trite to state here in clear terms that nobody or institution bears any grudge against the candidacy of any aspirant, Udom Emmanuel inclusive, but the process to determine the authentic standard bearer should be devoid of fraud.  Let’s join hands and restore our mandate as we say no to those bent on swimming and dancing in power ad infinitum.