A lot is going on in the PDP now that is quite unsavoury and people are wondering; where did PDP get it wrong?
Each time the party gets to this level, it bounces to a stronger strength. The party is undergoing self re-discovery and the party is trying to get it right. Remember that every opposition that exists within Nigeria in the political landscape exists within the PDP. The opposition is looking for power and position; they are not looking for the way forward, how to sustain our democracy or how to improve the position of Nigeria in terms of economic wellbeing. The party has to build itself by itself if the opposition gets stronger and party allows internal democracy and that is why we see a lot of people expressing themselves and how they feel.
But today as we take off on this special convention in August, we are going to now re-jig the party. We are now going to make the party a family affair; not an individual affair. We know that in the PDP, it gets worse, it gets better, it can’t get worse than what we have experienced in recent past and the leader of the party, I think is covering that and what we are going to experience today, the party leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is an unrepentant respecter of the rule of law.
That is why he called for another convention, another election that will legitimise peoples’ position and that is why the party in its wisdom, has been very careful in selecting those that know the history of the party; selecting those that will look at equity as a way to go. So, I have no doubt, we are not going to take the opposition for granted, I can assure you that after today, after next month’s convention, we will see a brand new party, re-phased that will be ready to face any opposition of any kind.
You sound quite optimistic, but again, the question is, at what point did PDP get it wrong?
The PDP just like a family or any organisation continues to grow in leaps and bounds. The leadership faces greater challenges and you recall that, if you give it to the immediate past president whom with his experience and his own personal disposition was able to hold the party as it were and as politics progresses, democratisation is inevitable. Democratisation is the next level where people must express themselves without any fear or favour, and you will find a man who is “pro-democratic in nature” he will always want to play strictly by the rules and Nigeria, 10 years ago experimenting on the political parties needed a leader that can see when problems are coming and then go out of his way to solving them. And I remember that people believe that the party belongs to one person or the leader of the party. It is not possible; PDP is too big for any individual to take over.
Some people felt that they could hijack the party for one interest
or the other and it is not possible. They can do in ethnic parties or generic dynasties that they call parties but not in the PDP. PDP is the only Nigerian party, the only national party that is not restricted by religion or ethnicity, it is the coming together of the generality of the stakeholders in this country to say, the way to go is democracy, the way to go is to give fair play to every person in this country, see Nigeria as one entity and not as a section.
Against this backdrop, don’t you think this has cast aspersion on the leadership of the PDP?
Of course, the squabble has been that of leadership and the process of emergence. Once the process is right, people will have the confidence in it. It is not saying that people who are in charge are not good but people are more particularly interested in the process to make sure it is in compliance with the due process; it is in compliance with guidelines; With the INEC guidelines, with the party guidelines. Once you get it right you have the logos to assert your authority, but when you are standing on a shaky foundation, there are certain people who are mischievous and malicious; who will push you and you cannot have an answer.
I think that is what the party itself has recovered and said, “Listen, for us to have the confidence of everybody, let us re-jig, let us reinvent, let us re-position and let the rule of law and the guidelines of the party guide every process that we have to do henceforth. I think if we abide by it, going by the credible Nigerians that are in this convention, which by the grace of God I am there, we will make sure that we agree strictly to the party guidelines and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Some people believe that either by personal disposition or by way of advices, the president is also not handling the politics of the country and indeed the party pretty well. Do you share this?
Well, this country is too big for one single person to find solution and until the presidential people not the president per say, because the president cannot have the solution to all the problems, agree with that school of thought. The beginning of the solution is the realisation that we need the ideas, collective ideas of all the winning statesmen of this country. And then living above primordial control of some people and people must rise up to say, this is the way to go, the truth. I think the president is a very honest easy going statesman, who will always know the truth but as elections draw nearer, people will come in different guise; people will be holier than thou and will give all kinds of advices that will be injurious to the actual intentions of the principal.
My advice to the PDP leaders, particularly President Jonathan, is to make sure that the party is allowed to pursue its guidelines, pursue its manifesto and let the people take them on their programmes and their manifestoes and not individuals. He represents an institution. So what I will say is that the style differs, everybody has got his own style but there are certain situations, where Baba’s approach could have been better but you now ask, in the 21st century Nigeria, do we still need most of those approaches possibly in all circumstances? No!
But what I will say in effect is that we should not be complacent because the process of nation building requires a leader so most of the time you will use your teeth. I believe that Nigeria needs a strong leader and the president must be alive to assert his authority and the only way that can be possible particularly in the party is making sure that those who emerge as leaders of the party do so through the due process without undue manipulation, undue disregard to due process.
Recently, the NWC of the party first suspended Governor Amaechi of Rivers State on the grounds of alleged anti-party and followed by the Sokoto State governor. But while the Sokoto Governor has been recalled, Amaechi is yet to be considered because he is in court. Is this not part of poor management of the party?
I want to say that the issue of Governors forum is an over-bloated situation and the opposition is feasting on it and the PDP leadership is falling for it. Otherwise, we will ask ourselves, what is governors’ forum? What role have they played in previous election because the heat is 2015? Did the governors play a role in the emergence of Yar’dua in 2007, yes they did. Are you saying they will not play another role in 2015?
Until the constitution reduces the powers of the governors because the authority of the governors today as couched in the constitution is even enormous, greater than that of the president and the constitution tends to give them a lot of control. They are the garrison commanders, they bring down presidents to their knees in the past and you are now saying President Jonathan is not courageous but today, we are saying listen, if we must give a level playing ground to everybody, whether you are a senator or governor, you should not be the sole determinant of who controls the affair of this country.
Morally speaking, he is right; politically, it is the new party leaders that are coming that will now look at it. If the ultimate is winning election, for me, as a party leader and a party man, I want us to continue to win our elections. So, if we want to do reforms, we must start from the constitutional reforms; we must look at the constitution to solve some delegation of the powers of the governors.
When you say the NGF crisis was enhanced by the alleged interference of the presidency, it does not appear that the party will be having this takeover anytime soon?
Well, I have just said that it is a two way thing. The president should call Amaechi and ask him what he wants and Amaechi should go and tell the president what he wants. I think the thing now is transcending any other primordial interest, they know what their issues are. But Amaechi should recognise that he (Jonathan) is the president of the Federal republic of Nigeria, period. He is no longer his former colleague as a governor and equally, Jonathan should recognise that Amaechi gave him enormous votes for his election. So, he must as a father bring him in. Let him remove third party because all these parties that are bringing solutions are further widening the gulf.
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