April 13, 2022

PDP’s world crumbled in 2015. That was after it surrendered power to the APC on that fateful May 29 when its president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari. It was the final straw, but before then, we’re few other straws that sank PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) deep down. One of the major ones was the mass defection from the Party led by ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his gang of rebels.

May 29, 2015 was the day of “to your tents oh Israel”. The new winners continued with their victory songs and wild celebrations and PDP, with head bowed began a journey of long eight years as an orphan. Seven years into that lonely walk, it should be time for stock-taking. How did PDP survive to remain relevant and a beautiful bride today?

It was the sweat and ‘blood’ of few committed party men and women. They stayed back to patch the torn umbrella. The gang of rebels, particularly Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, Murtala Nyako, etc were particularly violent with the umbrella when they were decamping. They tried everything to tear the PDP umbrella into pieces – a clear manifestation that they were not truly committed to nurturing and growing the Party. But on the opposite of the gang of rebels were the builders, deeply committed PDP members. The list is long but a few of them are outstanding. They include Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Goodluck Jonathan, Kabir Tanimu Turaki, Sule Lamido, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure, Prof Jerry Gana, etc. These men bore the brunt of being in opposition party. Each of them you meet tells horrible stories of what they have gone through since the PDP went into political wilderness in 2015. They have had to resist both “the carrot” and “the stick” all these years to remain in the PDP. Many former PDP members could not bear the whipping and had to decamp to APC (All Progressive Congress).

The courage exhibited by these loyal PDP members is best appreciated when viewed against the backdrop that they were no long in power. Secondly, the triumphant APC had during the campaign deployed its enormous propaganda machine to convict the PDP administration of corruption even without trial. As APC popularity began to wane as a result of its failure to implement any of its Cardinal election campaign promises, the ruling Party began a calculated witch hunt against PDP members with three vicious aims: to jail them, to shame them and to force them to join APC. Besides, there was the ruling Party’s policy of “once you decamp to APC, your sins are forgiven.” President Buhari had on several occasions declared his preference for pronouncing suspects/accused guilty until they prove their innocence and this policy, though ultra-vires to the construction and laws of Nigerian was the driving force behind the witch hunt against loyal PDP members being prosecuted by either the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crime Commission) or the ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission). That explains why the government disobeyed many orders of courts of competent jurisdiction on the handling of suspects facing trial.

Kudos to all of them who were out of government but resisted the onslaught of the ruling party.

The other group that helped keep the PDP alive were state governors elected on the platform of the Party. The depth of their loyalty is even in question because they have immunity and therefore did not suffer like those without government positions or covered by immunity. It could be safe to argue that most of them are still in PDP because of what they can get. This line of thinking is supported by the fact that of the 17 governors who assumed office in 2015 as PDP members, only 13 are still in the Party today while the others decamped without any cogent reason.

Even among the remaining 13, are those who are working to further destroy the party and yet some others do not care to make any meaningful contribution for the survival of the Party. Maybe the best assessment of the loyalty of the incumbent PDP governors will be obtained after they have left office. But one thing is certain, the loyalty of those out of power is rated higher than that of incumbent office holders, state governors inclusive.

The greatest enemies of the PDP are those who walked away from it in the build up to the 2015 general election. They didn’t just abandon ship; they worked very hard to ensure that the Party was humiliated at the polls. The law is of retribution is a just law and it didn’t go to sleep. That is why between 2015 and now the itinerant politicians have also tasted humiliation at one time or the other, the worst of which was the humiliation of returning to the same party they abandoned, their own vomit. That politics without principle has cast a lot of doubts on the capacity of these migratory politicians to be trusted with any critical position in the Party. That is the lot of fair weather friends which is what Atiku and his nomadic colleagues are.

Already, one of them Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso has already abandoned PDP again after it became clear to him that he will not become the presidential candidate of the PDP in next year election. Even the other ones – Atiku, Saraki and Tambuwal have at one time or the other have been linked to plans to decamp to another party within these few years they came back to the Party. That is an ominous signal that they still remain a danger to the rebuilding of the PDP, that they are not remorseful about the havoc they wrecked on the Party in 2015, that they would bury PDP alive if the need arises.

Is it not within contemplation that if any of them becomes president of Nigeria on PDP’s platform, he would readily decamp to another party if he is squeezed, because of his proven mercenary trajectory? This is a real danger the PDP must factor into the consideration of personal attributes of its presidential candidate for next year election. Once beaten, they say, is twice shy.

Come to think of it, Atiku and his co-wanders were/are not the only members of the PDP who felt uncomfortable with the way the Party was/is being run. But the others who disagreed with some of the actions and inactions of the Party especially in 2014/2015 period tried to place the interest of the Party above their personal interest and decided to remain in the Party. That is loyalty and politics of integrity at play.

As the Party prepares for primaries, some measure of advantage has to be acceded to those who have not abandoned the party before. A man who cannot bear pain should not enjoy the sweet comfort that comes with perseverance.

Of all the aspirants jostling for the presidential ticket of the PDP, only Anyim Pius Anyim has not walked away on the Party. He and the other loyal party men and women contesting other positions deserve to be acknowledged with some concessions. That is the best way the PDP can reward loyalty and by that send clear signal that there will always be reward for perseverance. https://tribuneonlineng.com/how-should-pdp-reward-loyalty/

Muogbo is an Abuja based Journalist