For some strange reasons the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have continued to enmesh their parties in completely avoidable mistakes, controversies and disputes. Why this is so, I find quite difficult to comprehend.
Oscar Wilde, it was that, was credited with the aphorism that “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes”. But when these mistakes are completely commonsensical and avoidable, is the experience gained therefrom desirable and of any use, especially when it comes to a very competitive game as politics where the winner takes all and the losers are left to rue their loses?
Both parties seem to have practically jettisoned their shared traditions and creed in their pursuit of victory in the 2023 presidential elections. Are all of these normal or are they under a spell or something? Or could it just be that they still hold steadfast to their long held notion that the opinion of the electorate does not matter because they can always have their ways irrespective of what happens at the polling booths?
Does the ruling APC led by Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, former governor of Nasarawa state want Nigerians to believe that the party could have him as chairman, its sitting president and its party presidential candidate and running mate as Muslims with no likely consequence going to the polls?
As we have argued in the past, the issue around Tinubu’s choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as running mate for me is not about about is faith as a muslim, really, but I still think the choice of a man who has not even considered it important to clear concerns around his links with the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists, and his bombastic and devil-may-care attitude on national issues, of late, have stirred up controversies to worry Tinubu and the APC. I am still at a loss as to what electoral strength Shettima brings to the table.
Similarly, the PDP, going into the polls next year is the leading opposition party and you would think that given the task ahead of them it would be a no-brainer that they try to avoid pitfalls and landmines on their way to the polls, but that is not to be. They seem doomed to make mistakes and take actions that leave one numb and wondering if indeed they are aware of the enormity of the task ahead of them.
When Iyorchia Ayu emerged as chairman of the party, after a frosty relationship between the erstwhile chairman, Uche Secondus, and other stakeholders of the party, especially Governor Nyesom Wike, all seemed like the party was beginning to put its house in order. Then the party went into what may appear as an acrimonious party convention from where the party chose Atiku Abubakar, as presidential candidate, against the choice of some segments of the party, especially the Southern governors who were resolved that the south produced the party’s presidential candidate. Atiku’s snub of Wike whom stakeholders also claimed to have been their preferred choice as his running mate also added fuel to the conflagration within the party. The bad blood arising from that outing is yet to be resolved.
Even as all of these are yet to be resolved, some party stakeholders are again calling for the head of the Ayu and demanding that he resigns and keeps to a promise he made prior to becoming the party chairman.
Recall that in October 2021, Ayu had during an interview promised to resign as chairman if the party presidential candidate emerges from the north if that will be in the interest of the party.
He was quoted to have said, “I’m a very democratic person and I will do everything to promote the interest and image of my party. If the PDP says I should step down after a presidential candidate emerges and happens to be from the North, I will be very glad to do so because what we want is to take over the government and run the government in the interest of Nigerians. So, I’ll sacrifice anything to ensure that my party wins.”
However, speaking almost a year after, Ayu appears resolved to remain as party chairman even if that decision will polarise and eventually sound the death knell of the party.
Ayu, while dismissing the calls for his resignation by some governors, said he was elected for a four-year tenure, saying those calling for his resignation are small children whose actions are of no consequence.
Speaking with the BBC Hausa Service, Ayu said; “When we started PDP, these children were not around. They are children who do not know why we formed the party. We will not allow any individual to destabilise our party.
“I was voted as PDP Chairman for four-year tenure and I’m yet to complete a year. Atiku’s victory doesn’t affect the chairman’s position. I won my election based on our party’s constitution.
“I didn’t commit any offence. I’m only reforming the party, so I’m not bothered with all the noises. I know I’m doing my work and I didn’t steal any money, so I see no reason for all these talks.”
Last Wednesday, Atiku was in Ibadan and the leadership of the party in the south west did not mince words in calling for the resignation of Ayu. Governor Seyi Makinde, while presenting the position of the party South West leadership to Atiku, said the mirage of problems confronting the party are surmountable but with the caveat that the issue of lopsidedness in party elective positions and non-compliance with the constitution and lay down principles guiding its operation must be addressed.
Makinde added that a situation whereby the Presidential candidate, National Chairman and Director-General of Atiku Campaign Organization are from the North East, North Central and North West is unacceptable. He therefore demanded that Ayu must step down in the interest of equity, justice and fair play.
Also, on Thursday, Chief Olabode George, a chieftain and former deputy national chairman of the PDP, insisted that Ayu should resign to give a southerner the chance to fill the position as the party’s national chairman. He also wondered how the party could go into election season with divisions and expect to win the presidential election.
Why APC and PDP continue to lay landmines for themselves and hope to emerge victorious at the polls come 2023 still beats my imaginations.
As a gentleman, Ayu should honourably resign from that position to give his party any fighting chance at the polls. And as he had said last year, knowing that the party was divided and that Gov Wike and those calling for his resignation are not just mere children as he had dismissed them. It is imperative that Ayu toes the path of honour, in the interest of the PDP.
With the enormous powers that our state governors wield, it will be foolhardy, if not impossible to hope to ignore them and still think of victory for the PDP. If Ayu, as he claimed, was a founding member of the party, he should know that the party had always been guided by those principles of justice, equity and fair play in the distribution of party offices.
And if as Wilde said, experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes, the experience that these parties would derive from what is clearly their avoidable mistakes may be too costly and unpalatable to relive.
