PDP: One party, many crises

Party leaders in attrition warfare

Atiku’s camp still lying low as Wike’s goes for the kill

How Ayu stepped on political land mines

The crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before the last general election seems to have defied all solutions, even after the polls.
Our correspondent, Lateef Ibrahim, in this piece, examines the current crisis, under Senator Iyorchia Ayu and asks if he (Ayu) can survive the onslaught.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was founded in 1998 with the primary objective of jostling for and winning political powers, particularly, at the centre.
This aspiration, without any gainsaying, has been largely achieved as the party, shortly, after coming into existence, won political power and retained same for sixteen unbroken years at the centre.
However, the PDP has, more or less, become synonymous with crisis, as both are now like one side of the same coin. Succinctly put, PDP and crisis are, now, like a siamese twins.
The leading opposition party appears to have been so enmeshed in crisis too often to the extent that they are fast approaching that level of inseparability, according to politics watchers.
In PDP now, it is one day, one crisis. As one crisis is abating in the party, another one is springing up. Yes, it is trite, in social engineering, that no human being can completely run away from crisis, but the ability for speedy resolution of such crises says a lot about individuals or institutions involved.
The greater part of the Party’s twenty-five years of existence has, undoubtedly, been enmeshed in one crisis after the other.
Among the various crises which had bedeviled the party since inception, the latest crisis between the camps of the Presidential Candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar/the embattled and now court barred National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu on one side and a Group of Five Governors, popularly dubbed G-5, led by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike on the other side, stands out as the most stubborn one so far.
The crisis between these two camps dated back to May 2022, when the PDP held it’s presidential primaries at the Velodrome wing of the Moshood Abiola national stadium in Abuja, the nation’s capital, during which Atiku emerged the presidential candidate, after defeating the likes of Wike, former Senate Presidents, Dr Bukola Saraki and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Bauchi Governor, Senator Mohammed Bala and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel among others.
Shortly after the presidential primaries, the next agitation was that Senator Iyorchia Ayu must step down as the party’s National Chairman to be replaced by somebody from the Southern part of the country.
The G-5 Governors, comprising Wike; Seyi Makinde (Oyo State); Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), who were the arrow heads of the agitation, argued that with Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner (from Adamawa State) as the presidential flag bearer, Ayu, another Northerner from Benue State, can not continue to occupy the position of the National Chairman of the party. They pointed out that the position must be occupied by a Southerner in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.The refusal by Ayu to heed the call and ceed the position to a Southerner led to the aggravation of the party’s crisis and ultimately led to the dismal failure of the PDP in the February 25 presidential and National Assembly election which Atiku lost to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Prior to the presidential election, the G-5 Governors were openly campaigning for the presidential candidates of other parties to the detriment of their own party and its candidate- the PDP and Atiku Abubakar.
While Wike was busy mocking PDP and Atiku at various political fora in his state, Ortom, on his part, was, strongly, campaigning for the candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi.
At a point, like the celebrated novelist, Chinua Achebe wrote in ‘Things Fall Apart” within the PDP and the centre could no longer hold, the falcon could no longer hear the falconer, while anarchy was let loose in the party.
The result was so glaring for all to see, when the elections eventually came, from the performance of the party, particularly during the presidential election. Political analysts have argued that the self inflicted injury by PDP, which led to its being factionalized and made some of the chieftains to move to other parties, to go realize their ambitions, greatly affected its electoral performance at the polls, negatively.
So many people had thought that after the elections, the leading opposition party in the country would have taken time to sit down, possibly in a roundtable dialogue, to do a post mortem analysis of what went wrong, with a view to charting a new and progressive way forward. Lo and behold, this was not to be. Rather, the party has again been enmeshed in another major crisis capable of shaking it to its foundations, if not well managed.
On Sunday, March 16th, the PDP crisis assumed a new dimension as the embattled National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu (who has now been barred from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party by a Benue State High Court, sitting in Makurdi)was suspended by his Igyorov Ward in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State. Ayu was accused of anti-party activities. The suspension of Ayu came few days after the members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, dragged the Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom before the national disciplinary committee of the party and suspended former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, immediate past Governor of Katsina State, Mr Ibrahim Shema, erstwhile Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim among others.
In what appeared like a fight back from the members of the G-5 led by Wike, a suspension was slammed on Ayu right by Executive Committee members of his ward.
Ayu’s suspension followed a vote of no confidence passed on him by his ward. A resolution passed at the end of the meeting of the Igyorov ward exco members and read by the Secretary, Mr Banger Dooyum, reads, “The Peoples Democratic Party Executive Committee of Igyorov council ward of Gboko local government area in Benue state has passed a vote of no confidence on the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and suspended him from the party”.
Mr Dooyum, while reading the resolution of the ward Exco, said “He (Ayu) was involved in amti- party activities making the PDP to lose at his ward and local government along with his allies who also didn’t vote at the Governorship Election.”
Ayu was also accused of not paying his annual dues as enshrined by the party’s constitution.
It will be recalled that shortly after the Benue State Governor was referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the PDP for anti-party activities by the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP chaired by Ayu, the Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike had dared the national leadership of the PDP, declaring that his Benue State counterpart will not appear before the Committee.
Wike equally described the suspension of former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose and others, for anti-party activities by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, as a nullity.
Wike, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said, “I want to state clearly and let members of the party and Nigerians hear it clearly, the National Working Committee made up of Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who they say is the Chairman of the party; Sam Anyanwu, the national secretary and other members of NWC, cannot suspend Ayo Fayose, not to talk about referring governor Ortom to national disciplinary committee.”
Governor Wike explained that the decision of the NWC to refer governor Ortom to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee is the height of all insult.
He said, “Referring a governor to your so called national disciplinary committee is the height of all insult, and we will not take it. Therefore, be ready for whatever you see as far as this our party is concern.”
Governor Wike stated emphatically that the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom will not appear before the PDP National Disciplinary Committee.
According to him, “Governor Ortom, who has stood firm for the unity of this country, governor Ortom who has come out openly to say that Nigeria must be one is not the type you will say you will refer to that your kangaroo committee.”
The Rivers State governor said if anyone deserves to be suspended from the party, that person is Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who he accused of contravening the PDP constitution on the zoning of elective and appointive offices.
His words, “If there is any person deserving suspension, it should be you (Ayu), who played anti-party party by refusing to obey the constitution of the party on zoning of political offices as is required. “
So, whoever tells you that you can suspend people, please tell the person that he is not serious.”
Continuing, Wike said, “if you are talking of anti-party, it is you, who could not even deliver your unit, deliver your ward that is involved.
“Because of the fraudulent activities you are involved in, people have lost hope in you. That is why you cannot win your unit, win your ward”, he stressed.
Governor Wike cautioned Ayu and the NWC to desist from threatening the G-5 governors and members of the Integrity Group with suspension.
According to him, Ayu has, by his recent action, opened up a new chapter of political war in the party.
“You cannot cage any of us. Ortom will not appear before any of your so called disciplinary committee. Ayodele Fayose will also never appear before any disciplinary committee”, he vowed.
Less than 24 hours after, Ayu faulted his suspension, describing it as an exercise in futility.
Ayu categorically declared that those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions.
In a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications,
Simon Imobo-Tswam, Ayu, a former Senate President, maintained that only the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the PDP can suspend him.
He stressed that his purported suspension by his ward Executive Committee members merely derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation.
Continuing, the former University Don stated that the said suspension exercise has only “mischief, drama and propaganda value”.
Some members of the Exco of his ward, he claimed, are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to rumours that the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has been suspended by the Executive Committee of his Ward.
“We wish to state categorically and with all emphasis at our disposal thus:
“The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has not been suspended by his Ward.
“Some members of the Exco are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
“For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP Constitution as Amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the Ward or State Level from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.
“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“This is why the original date is tippexed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the presidential/NASS and Governorship/State Assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
“From what we know, document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress.
“The Chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion.
“In fact, the same applies for Nos. 5, 8 and 16. At the time they were supposed to be in Makurdi with the other coerced, intimidated and induced members of the Exco, they were actually in their villages, going about their normal businesses.
“Up till now, about nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off. It is instructive.
“The general public is hereby advised to ignore rumours to this heinous effect. “Those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions”, the statement by Imobo-Tswam concluded.
The same Monday, a Benue State High Court, sitting in Makurdi, barred Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP pending the resolution of a case in court.
The decision of the court was sequel to an ex-parte application brought by Engr Conrad Terhide Utaan, in which Ayu and PDP were named as defendants.
Utaan, the plantiff/applicant, sought for an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant, Senator (Dr) Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filed.”
“Consequently, this application is hereby granted in terms of the reliefs captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced”, the court said.
In deference to the court order, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP met on Tuesday after which they approved the appointment of the Deputy National Chairman (North), of the party, Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum as the acting National Chairman of the leading opposition party in accordance with section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, while addressing journalists on the outcome of the meeting said, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at an emergency meeting today (wednesday), Tuesday, March 28, 2023, acknowledge the Order of the Benue State High Court, dated March 27, 2023 with regards to the Chairmanship position of our great Party.
“After a careful consideration of the Court Order and in line with Section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North) His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum assumes the National Chairmanship of our Party in acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great Party to remain calm and united at this critical time”, he said.
The NWC members in attendance were; Damagum, Ologunagba, the Party’s National Youth Leader, Muhammed Kandade Sulieman, National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade SAN, National Treasurer, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Organizing Secretary, Umar Bature, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and National Financial Secretary, Mr Daniel Woyegikuro.
Damagum, after taking over, said that a meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, will hold the following day and that the various decisions taken under Ayu will be considered for possible review.
The latest PDP crisis, judging from the comments of some of the actors like Governor Wike, doesn’t look like something that will end soon.
Political pundits are, however, of the firm opinion that the way and manner the PDP handles this crisis, gets its acts together quickly and proactively and resolve the current crisis will go a long way in determining the shape and future of the party, which had once held sway in government at the centre for sixteen unbroken years between 1999 and 2015.
It is however left to be seen whether the party will be able to find that much desured solution, in ernest, to its ongoing crisis or not.
As things stand at the moment only time will tell whether the PDP can survive this crisis and come out of it stronger.