THE DUALITY OF THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY: A NEW PHASE OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA
Democracy is a system of government where the people choose their own leaders or representatives. Former American President, Abraham Lincoln defined the term as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. From this definition, one can rightly say that in a democracy, the government is the people and the people is the government. For a democracy to exist, the people have to choose their own leaders. These leaders are not chosen from a vacuum. In Nigeria, they are chosen from political parties. This means that there should be more than one political party for democracy to strive. In Nigeria, upon switch from military to civilian rule in 1999, three political parties took off: the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Peoples Party (APP), and Alliance for Democracy (AD). In the presidential election, APP and AD formed a coalition against PDP, but PDP’s candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo won the elections. In 2003, 25 more parties were registered bringing the total to 28. 20 of the parties contested the presidential elections with PDP’s Olusegun Obasanjo again emerging the winner.
In 2007, 25 parties contested the presidential election which saw again PDP, with late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as winner with current president Goodluck Jonathan as vice president. PDP’s internal crisis became vivid upon the death of president Yar’Adua, whose 4-year term was completed by his vice president as Acting President. In 2011, PDP Northern faithfuls kicked against Jonathan declaration of interest for the presidential polls. The zoning formula of the PDP was brought up. The agitators argued that according to the zoning arrangement, power was to be exercised by the North for two tenors after which it will shift to another zone. Jonathan had completed one of the tenors for the late precedent and so the north should produce another president. Some people threatened to decamp, some actually decamped. Against all odds and amidst tight opposition from Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and 17 others, Jonathan contested and won the 2011 Presidential elections. One may ask, PDP from 1999 till 2011, is it the only party? Have they truly been chosen by Nigerians this long? Or is there something behind their constant winning? Are we running a one-party system? PDP’s internal crisis took another dimension at the party’s August 31st Special National Convention of the party, where the unbeaten ruling party broke into faction and a new National Executive Council (NEC) announced. Before now, Alhaji Bamaga Tukur has been the party’s national chairman. The trouble started when a candidate for the deputy national chairman of the party, Sam Jaja, a Governor Chibuike Amaechi loyalist was dropped by the screening body and Uche Secondus, a president Jonathan loyalist adopted. Northwest governors who wanted to vote for the Gov. Amaechi candidate were disappointed and so staged a walk-out. In the splinter group were former vice president Atiku Abubarkar, former governors of Nassarawa and Osun states and serving governors of Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano and Niger States (G-7 Governors) and their deputies. There were also some members of the National Assembly. The faction which called itself the New PDP had Alhaji Kawu Baraje as the national chairman, Sam Jaja as the national deputy chairman and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as national secretary. The Bamanga Tukur led side failed to get an injunction from Justice Elvis Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining Alhaji Baraje from parading himself as the national chairman of the party and INEC from recognizing the Baraje led national working committee (NWC). As it stands, it seems the new PDP has come to stay as there still exist a parallel NWC, each with big political stalwarts. The trouble is not only with the national leadership of the party. Anambra state chapter of the party led by a parallel state administration, organized a parallel primary election and produced two candidates. Even at the grassroots, in the states where their governors are among the G-7, the Local Government chapters of the party go with their governors. All these crisis dates back to a rotten internal democracy. If democracy cannot find its way in a political party, how then will the party lead the nation democratically when it assumes power. Lets start from the PDP’s zoning arrangement: how can a democratically minded political party opt for a zoning arrangement? In a democracy, the people choose a presumed best, so political parties should give their best. But in this arrangement, PDP must pick someone from a particular region not minding whether the candidate is the best they have, just to satisfy the zoning formula. Thanks goodness it did not work. The presumed best is decided in a free and fair primary election. The primary election can be contested by anybody who meets the constitutional qualifications, but PDP in their constitution of zoning limits this qualification by region. Now, this duality seems to be out of control; the immediate cause is not unrelated to a faulted internal democracy- their system of choosing their leaders. The manner of dropping of Sam Jaja and choice of Uche Secondus is a matter to be investigated. If PDP cannot choose members of her NWC in a free and fair manner, how can they produce a presumed best whom Nigerians are to choose in a free and fair manner? Anyway, the duality of PDP may even be a blessing to Nigeria’s democracy. It has opened the eyes of the people involved as they will be careful not to make any mistake as any mistake will mare their chances come 2015. Both factions will strife to remove any rot in them so as to better and strengthen their internal democracy. Secondly, having seen the nakedness of the party, some Nigerians are beginning to look into other political parties to give them a chance and this will bring an end to the seemingly one-party system we’ve been running since 1999 especially at the federal level. The factions are enough oppositions already. The merger party, All Progressives Congress (APC) is posing great threat day by day. These make the 2015 race more competitive. So for any party to win, old PDP, new PDP, APC or another, they must give their best and nothing but their best. Again, if it is election rigging that has kept PDP in power since 1999 till now, it will be in check now. Old PDP will closely watch new PDP to make she does not win by rigging and vice-versa. Anyway, lets wait and see what 2015 brings while praying that God help us. God bless Nigeria!
IBE KINGSLEY
200 LEVEL LAW
In 2007, 25 parties contested the presidential election which saw again PDP, with late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as winner with current president Goodluck Jonathan as vice president. PDP’s internal crisis became vivid upon the death of president Yar’Adua, whose 4-year term was completed by his vice president as Acting President. In 2011, PDP Northern faithfuls kicked against Jonathan declaration of interest for the presidential polls. The zoning formula of the PDP was brought up. The agitators argued that according to the zoning arrangement, power was to be exercised by the North for two tenors after which it will shift to another zone. Jonathan had completed one of the tenors for the late precedent and so the north should produce another president. Some people threatened to decamp, some actually decamped. Against all odds and amidst tight opposition from Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and 17 others, Jonathan contested and won the 2011 Presidential elections. One may ask, PDP from 1999 till 2011, is it the only party? Have they truly been chosen by Nigerians this long? Or is there something behind their constant winning? Are we running a one-party system? PDP’s internal crisis took another dimension at the party’s August 31st Special National Convention of the party, where the unbeaten ruling party broke into faction and a new National Executive Council (NEC) announced. Before now, Alhaji Bamaga Tukur has been the party’s national chairman. The trouble started when a candidate for the deputy national chairman of the party, Sam Jaja, a Governor Chibuike Amaechi loyalist was dropped by the screening body and Uche Secondus, a president Jonathan loyalist adopted. Northwest governors who wanted to vote for the Gov. Amaechi candidate were disappointed and so staged a walk-out. In the splinter group were former vice president Atiku Abubarkar, former governors of Nassarawa and Osun states and serving governors of Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano and Niger States (G-7 Governors) and their deputies. There were also some members of the National Assembly. The faction which called itself the New PDP had Alhaji Kawu Baraje as the national chairman, Sam Jaja as the national deputy chairman and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as national secretary. The Bamanga Tukur led side failed to get an injunction from Justice Elvis Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining Alhaji Baraje from parading himself as the national chairman of the party and INEC from recognizing the Baraje led national working committee (NWC). As it stands, it seems the new PDP has come to stay as there still exist a parallel NWC, each with big political stalwarts. The trouble is not only with the national leadership of the party. Anambra state chapter of the party led by a parallel state administration, organized a parallel primary election and produced two candidates. Even at the grassroots, in the states where their governors are among the G-7, the Local Government chapters of the party go with their governors. All these crisis dates back to a rotten internal democracy. If democracy cannot find its way in a political party, how then will the party lead the nation democratically when it assumes power. Lets start from the PDP’s zoning arrangement: how can a democratically minded political party opt for a zoning arrangement? In a democracy, the people choose a presumed best, so political parties should give their best. But in this arrangement, PDP must pick someone from a particular region not minding whether the candidate is the best they have, just to satisfy the zoning formula. Thanks goodness it did not work. The presumed best is decided in a free and fair primary election. The primary election can be contested by anybody who meets the constitutional qualifications, but PDP in their constitution of zoning limits this qualification by region. Now, this duality seems to be out of control; the immediate cause is not unrelated to a faulted internal democracy- their system of choosing their leaders. The manner of dropping of Sam Jaja and choice of Uche Secondus is a matter to be investigated. If PDP cannot choose members of her NWC in a free and fair manner, how can they produce a presumed best whom Nigerians are to choose in a free and fair manner? Anyway, the duality of PDP may even be a blessing to Nigeria’s democracy. It has opened the eyes of the people involved as they will be careful not to make any mistake as any mistake will mare their chances come 2015. Both factions will strife to remove any rot in them so as to better and strengthen their internal democracy. Secondly, having seen the nakedness of the party, some Nigerians are beginning to look into other political parties to give them a chance and this will bring an end to the seemingly one-party system we’ve been running since 1999 especially at the federal level. The factions are enough oppositions already. The merger party, All Progressives Congress (APC) is posing great threat day by day. These make the 2015 race more competitive. So for any party to win, old PDP, new PDP, APC or another, they must give their best and nothing but their best. Again, if it is election rigging that has kept PDP in power since 1999 till now, it will be in check now. Old PDP will closely watch new PDP to make she does not win by rigging and vice-versa. Anyway, lets wait and see what 2015 brings while praying that God help us. God bless Nigeria!
IBE KINGSLEY
200 LEVEL LAW
Comments
Post a Comment