After being in power for 16 years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) found itself in opposition. ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU takes a look at how the ‘rebrand’ PDP has fared as an opposition party in the last 4 years.
PDP’s journey from ruling to opposition party
The PDP was established sometimes in 1998 with the support of former military leaders who were determined to return the country to democracy.
At its maiden primary election in 1999 held in Jos, the Plateau state capital, Nigeria’s former military leader Olusegun Obasanjo, who was just freed from detention as a political prisoner, emerged as the party’s presidential candidate and he later adopted Atiku Abubakar as his running mate. The duo later won the general election in 1999 and four years later were re-elected for another four years sojourn in Aso Villa.
The PDP led presidency under OBJ left an indelible mark in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions, building of infrastructure facilities, giant strides in telecommunication, debt relief and a host of others. But it was condemned for alleged abuse office, human rights and failure to bring about stable power supply. Like a country which operates a party system the PDP presidency under Obasanjo ruled for eight years and even plotted a failed third term.
Former Katsina state governor, Umar Musa Yar’Adua took over from OBJ.
After Yar’adua’s sudden demise, and the controversies thereafter, the vice president, Goodluck Jonathan who, while Yar’adua was hospitalized amidst constitutional crisis and senate’s controversial “doctrine of necessity”, was declared Acting President, eventually took over as the president and ruled till 2011.
The leading opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) capitalised on the PDP’s self-inflicted controversies over Yar’Adua’s replacement, organised series of protest and subtly turned Nigerians against the PDP-led federal government.
GEJ: Last known PDP president
The PDP had established zoning formula to select respective leaders mindful of the nation’s complexities. But in 2010, the PDP was thrown into confusion when the then incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan declared his intention to contest for president in the 2011 general election. Many PDP leaders and supporters kicked against his ambition, they argued that Obasanjo as a southerner spent eight years, Yar’adua a northerner only spent about two years before death came calling, as such another northerner most come to complete Yar’adua’s eight years in line with PDP zoning formula.
Other group argued that a southerner from the minority group has never been given that privilege to lead, so they insisted that 2011 was their time zoning or no zoning. Notwithstanding, Jonathan was able to find his way around the members of his party and contested the 2011 election and against all odds, he, along with vice, the former governor Kaduna state, Arch. Namadi Sambo, was elected in 2011.
PDP led administration under Jonathan, using the transformation agenda achieved a lot: notably the construction of almajiri schools in the North, Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) and establishment of 6 additional universities in the geopolitical zone, among others. But all his achievements within four years were rubbished by killings perpetrated by Boko Haram terrorist group and alleged gross financial misconduct in his administration, allegation which he has severally denied.
Despite all these, GEJ insisted on running as PDP candidate in the 2015 election. Consequently, things got to a head when some governors and influential members on the party’s platform, moved as new PDP (nPDP) to form a merger in 2014 with the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and some aggrieved members of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and came up with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the new kid on the block with a sharp mantra of CHANGE.
Ultimately, the PDP eventually fell out of favour with the Nigerian electorate who, with the passage of time, ended PDP’s 16-year rule, humbled it and made the party an opposition.
2 years in ‘factional’ opposition
However in a desperate attempt to reposition the one-time ruling party into a formidable opposition, some notable PDP governors, especially Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state and his Rivers counterpart, Nyesom Wike, tactically brought former governor of Borno state, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif in as the acting national chairman of the party.
But it turned out to be a mirage. Sheriff plunged the party into more controversies as two factions emerged: one led by Sheriff and the other by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi who had emerged chairman of the National Caretaker Committee at a May 21, 2016 Port-Harcourt convention. He was mandated to conduct another convention in 90 days. This later resulted in serious legal tussle between the Sheriff and Makarfi factions, from the Court of Appeal to Supreme Court.
The apex court held that the national convention of the party (being the highest decision-making organ of the party) held May 21, 2016 in Port Harcourt was right to have removed Sheriff as the chairman.
The birth of new PDP NWC, successful presidential primary
Like an army with many wars ahead, the Makarfi-led caretaker committee was saddled with the responsibility of conducting a make or mar elective convention in December 2017 to elect a new set of National Working Committee (NWC) members. The elective convention was one of the most competitive conventions in the history of the party, as the party leadership failed to micro zone the chairmanship position to the South-west. It, therefore, became a contest between the South-south and South-west aspirants.
Among those who aspired for the position were former national deputy chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, former governor of Oyo state, Rashidi Ladoja, former governor of Ogun state, Gbenga Daniel, former acting chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, former minister of education, Professor Adeniran, media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Professor Toaheed Adedoja.
The party went into the elective convention with Secondus, Adeniran, Adedoja, and Dokpesi, at the end Secondus emerged top. His emergence makes the party’s voice more audible than it was in 2015 when it became the leading opposition party. So upon his repositioning of the party as an opposition party, Secondus was able to influence the return of some of its influential members, who, prior to the 2015 elections, had defected to the APC.
In this class are former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Speaker House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, governor of Sokoto state and former speaker of the lower house, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, among many others.
Also, the successes recorded at the party’s presidential convention at Port Harcourt where 12 influential politicians aspired for the party’s ticket for the just concluded presidential elections is one other factor putting the party in good stead for the task ahead. Like its December 2017 elective convention, this was also considered a make or mar contest as the party recorded the highest number of aspirants for its presidential ticket since formation.
Those who contested the party’s presidential ticket were: Senator Kwankwaso, former governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido, former governor of Plateau state, Senator Jona Jang, former governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa, Senator Makarfi, former minister of special duties, Kabir Tanimu Turaki SAN, Governor Tambuwal, former senate president, Dr David Bonaventure Mark, senate president Bukola Saraki, former vice president, Alhaji Abubakar and Dr Datti Baba Ahmed.
Surprisingly, they all went into the contest and came out more united than was expected. Abubakar won the party’s ticket with a wide margin. While some party chieftains were believed to have shown some indifference during the presidential campaign, it still remains a statement of fact that the result posted by the PDP candidate really surprised many people.
Political pundits described this as not just a success for the party, but for lovers of democracy. They argued that for the PDP to have survived the major fall out of the 2015 defeat, survived the legal tussle, gain back some of its members shows that it is providing Nigerians with alternatives and will put the ruling APC on its toes for meaningful governance.
Issues base campaign
Interestingly, the PDP had on many occasions indicated its interest to operate an issue base opposition party. Consequently, the party re-echo its stand to run an issue based campaign in the 2019 general elections.
PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at in the heat of the campaign said “The PDP and our presidential candidate will focus on ensuring security. We will focus on how to increase the purchasing power of Nigerians, as well as revamp our economy through strategic intervention in critical sectors, especially power, food security, road, and railway infrastructure.
“We will also focus on education, energy, health, water provision, and labor issues, among others. The PDP will proffer direction to reduce cost of governance and release funds for development purposes; cut harsh tariff and tax regimes and eradicate corruption,” Ologbondiyan said.
A political analyst, Ibrahim Muhammed in a chat with Blueprint says PDP indeed based its opposition and its campaign in 2019 on issue base.
He stated “My own assessment of the PDP in the last 4 yours is that the party focused on issues like corruption, economy, security, and good governance. However, their style is not constructive, not in-depth, not solution or alternative oriented.
“So their style of opposition is on issues but just attack the ruling party. For an opposition party to perform optimally, there must engage the ruling party on issues, be constructive, suggest solution or provide alternatives to national issues not just to attack.
2019: PDP enjoys dividends of opposition
Although the party lost its bid to return to the seat of power in Abuja, it nevertheless made some inroad into some states controlled by the ruling APC. In a democracy like Nigeria, the number of states a party controls largely determines its performance in any given election. This is because the state governors are usually very influential and provide logistics for the party during elections. The case is not different from the PDP.
Prior to the 23rd February 2019 presidential elections, the party had just 12 states under its umbrella. They include Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Cross Rivers, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Abia, Sokoto, Benue, Kwara, and Gombe states. And like a political party prepared to democratically take over power, bounced back with some upsets. It won in Adamawa, Bauchi, Oyo, Imo, Zamfara states even though it lost Kwara and Gombe to the ruling APC. Cumulatively, the PDP now has 15 states, this is more than what they had before the 2019 elections. It won Zamfara state on technical.
Political observers are of the view that with the number of states under the PDP control, the party indeed enjoyed some benefits of opposition. They also noted that winning strategic states like Oyo, Sokoto, Adamawa, and Bauchi was an indication that the party positioned itself as a credible and capable alternative in the states.
Its style unconstructive, not providing alternative to national issues – analysts
A political analyst, Jude Ohanele says the PDP has not been consistent, constructive and position itself as an opposition party.
He said “From my own end I will rate the PDP average. This is because the narrative of their opposition hasn’t been as optimal as expected. They actually do not provide alternative for decisions. PDP only criticize unconstructively and bitter about the position of the APC. I have not seen them providing alternative decision on any national issue that will show the difference between them and the APC.
“Essentially, what I see in PDP is a party that wants to replace the party in power, without fielding any new difference or suggesting an alternative approach to issues or national decisions. PDP opposition has not provided the alternative.
“PDP was able to win back some states essentially out of the frustration of the people of those states with the governor and not because of PDP performance as opposition party.
“The only record they have is the record of poor governance, from 1999 till 2015 when they were pushed out. It was actually reaction of the people in those states against APC that threw up the PDP. The implication is that if PDP does not change the way they do things, the same people that brought them back in those states will take them out”.
“I expect the PDP to understand and run their party as a ruling party in waiting. On economy they should have their alternative, for instance APC plan something on education, and PDP think it doesn’t make sense then PDP should be able to tell us we will do this or that differently from what APC said.
“So with this the citizens will now have alternative. So it is the role of opposition to elevate our democracy to that level, because of power the APC has not elevated it. The APC in 2015 were able to elevate our democracy to that level, which gave them the opportunity they are enjoining today. So is a very vibrant, knowledge-driven opposition that can generate alternative for choices, he added.
He stated “In the last four years the PDP have been criticizing the APC from the position of a bad loser, not really saying this is our options. And of course it’s difficult for them because they were there for 16 years as ruling party, so is difficult for them. But then younger elements within the PDP who are coming up now can begin to look at things going on in the other part of the world and begin to say this can work, we have seen it worked in other parts of the world.
“Another problem is that our politics is not driven by rigor, so people do not settle down to really identify what can work, they are just looking for power by any kind of propaganda and when they get the power they start mismanaging the state. So PDP can do a lot for the country if they articulate issues around core policy area, they may not have to take all the sectors, they can pick the strategic sectors and come up with alternative policy.
On his part, stalwart of the PDP, Chief Olukayode Akindele says PDP is not factual and proactive in their style of opposition.
“The fact is that PDP is not consistent in their style of opposition, not in most cases very professional. Noise making is not opposition. In opposition, you have to be factual, constructive and proactive, but PDP has not been consistent in their approach, they seem not to have learned the lessons of what made them lose in 2015. PDP needs to constructive in their style of opposition.
“PDP spent 16 years in government, by that we should have put our house in order. But there is still impunity in the party, even the Presidential primary in Port Harcourt it was a dollar bonanza. If we do the right thing, we won’t still be here”.
PDP provides consistent alternative format for APC – Ologbondiyan
The national publicity secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said the party as an opposition party has provided the ruling APC with consistent alternative to many issues that affect Nigerians.
“I believe the PDP has made a turnaround from a ruling party into an opposition party, several people have said so. And I believe to a large extent that the PDP has carry on its role as an opposition party responsively and creditably. We have been able to hold the government accountable to the people, especially on the bases of the promises they made to Nigerians in 2015.
“It has also gone into election winning states that are previously been govern by the ruling party, APC and even attracting states through decamping from the APC to the PDP. So on account of this if you look at it generally, particularly the way Nigerians are now rallying around the PDP and the way Nigerians have expressed their support during the 2019 general election in favor of the PDP. These are all indications that the PDP is performing the role of opposition very well, he added.
The PDP dismissed claim it is not providing alternative views to national issues.
“I don’t agree that our party is on the attack side. If you say we are just on the attack side, how did we win 4 states, outside Kano, Osun, Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa. Our presidential candidate and the party came and provide alternative and people really round us. We have adequately positioned our party as alternative.
“Our party has been consistent in providing alternative format for the ruling party. For instance in the area of security we have time without number advised Mr President to review his parade. In the area of the economy, we have raised issues boarding on the daily living condition of Nigerians, and this is what has earned us support from Nigeria, not by magic, not by violence.
“Our presidential primary election was also an example of an alternative we have provided, we have show Nigerians and many political parties on to conduct a rancor-free primary election. Even the ruling party hailed the outcome, because they knew that it was transparent and on the account of that we were able to manage the members of our party.
“Every Nigerian is affected by the style of leadership of the APC, particularly our members have been harassed, intimidated, have been denied their right to freedom by the ruling government. So the APC style has affected us as an opposition party”, Ologbondiyan said.
On his assessment of the APC led federal government in the last 4 years, PDP spokesman said “This administration has performed far low beyond the expectation of Nigerians. And this is not just speaking as an opposition, is about speaking to the fact.
