In what appeared like leaving the realm of denial for admission and reality, the the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is on its way to becoming an opposition party Saturday, admitted that it had made mistakes, adding it has also learnt lessons in the course of the campaigns and the 2015 general elections.
The party, in trying to assuage the feelings and anger of its members, appealed to them to use their energies in rebuilding the party into a virile main opposition party as it gives up power this Friday to the advantage of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
PDP, the self-aclaimed largest party in Africa with a dream of ruling the country for 60 unbroken years, came embarrassingly crashing in the last general elections after losing at the centre and a sizeable number at the National Assembly as well as the state governments to the All Progressives Congress, APC, an amalgamation of former opposition parties.
The party, used to power and winning elections in a landslide manner, found it difficult to fathom what hit it and has found it difficult to cope with the outcome of the elections. It has consequently moved from one crisis to the other. Relatively, the leadership of the party has been fighting the battles of their lives, in a bid to stave off stringent calls for their resignation and outright sacking.
Leading the call has been the governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who once said he had evidence of how certain leaders of the PDP sold out the party at the 2015 general elections. Other governors and chieftains of the party also joined the Ekiti governor in calling for the sack of the party’s National Working Committee.
As it’s the practice with PDP and its leaders, the calls were rejected and those calling for their sack were called names and threatened with disciplinary actions, only for the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu to throw in the towel, hinging his action on health grounds, thus becoming the first casualty of the party’s post election crisis. Following in quick succession, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees also resigned, citing the need to resign to pave the way for outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan to assume the position when he leaves office on Friday in line with the party’s constitution.
Not done with the two, calls continued to come for the resignation of the entire NWC, a call that has been outrightly rejected by NWC members. Citing the fact that they were duly elected to the positions, Prince Uche Second is, who is currently the acting chairman, while speaking to journalist after a meeting with President Jonathan, vowed that they will not resign their positions.
Angered by this development, members of the party protested the continual stay of the members of the NWC on Friday, calling for their sack.
However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said the party, especially members of its National Working Committee, is conscious of the renewed public interest in political parties heightened by the 2015 general elections, and it is time to get out of the election mode and face reality.
He said: “It is thus the desire of the PDP leadership that our supporters would channel their energy towards becoming active members in their various wards, local government areas and states to boost our support base across board for the task ahead.
“Mistakes have been made, lessons have been learnt. We must therefore leverage on the new spirit of oneness and our collective determination to regain preeminence, intensify efforts towards a speedy rebuilding of our great party while retooling for a forceful, yet highly credible opposition to regain power at the centre.
“We believe that only a peaceful, credible and constructive opposition can guarantee us seamless path to victory in 2019. To achieve this, all hands must be on deck.
“Currently, our great party is searching for an appropriate and suitable replacement for the National Chairman from the North-East geo-political zone.”
Metuh called on members to be committed and focus on the task of looking for a new chairman to reposition the party.
It is however yet to be seen how this will assuage the feelings of the party and help it regain prominence again!
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