PDP YOUR BURDENS ARE GONE. By Festus Fifen

PDP YOUR BURDENS ARE GONE. By Festus Fifen


I have been too lazy these days to pencil anything down, with the so many drama that has taken over the political space in my country Nigeria. 

Before I conclude my fact finding research on one issue, another one is staring at me in the face and in most cases the later is always more 'dramatic' that the former but in all of these, putting pen to paper concerning one of the issues top most in my library of issues  will not be out of place.

I want to congratulate the People's Democratic Party PDP for loosing the just  concluded  presidential election in Nigeria, yes you read the right thing i mean congratulations to those who are still under the umbrella;  I know more of those fair weather friends will still 'port' to where  the grass  seems to be greener which for now is the All progressive congress APC.

If the PDP had won the presidential election, there wouldn't have been room for reflection and evaluation of the members of the family  especially as it concerns those  I have decided to refer to as fair weather friends. The party would have been basking in the Euphoria of victory that the cancerous tumour that plagued the party  would have taken over the heart thereby leading to untimely death of the party and also making it impossible to revive her. 
Some  actions and inaction which are mostly called errors in a man's life most times end up to become the saving grace and a turning point. I have heard so many political analyst  analysing how the PDP progressed in error before and  during the presidential campaign which later led to the Loss of the party at the presidential  polls; it is  either they question the calibre, character or integrity and capability of the people appointed  into government at the central and state level, or complaining about  the body language of some of the principal officers that were calling the shots at the presidential campaigns. To me these were "divinely" design to prevent a future 'Sunami'.

PDP was the party that heralded the return of democracy in 1999 which so many thought would be short-lived. 

After the successful civilian to civilian administration which was headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003 respectively, the PDP became the party to beat and later the largest Political Party in Africa which  led to the influx of people into the party either out of  genuine passion to develop Nigeria or for their selfish interest.  success they say carries with it the burden of false friends and deceptive  compliments.

As the PDP  grew over the years, different interest groups, factions and caucus also sprang up with it;  thereby making Personal interest to override the collective interest of the party. Election into  leadership positions of the party and the government of the Day  was now perceived to be   based on " Man Know Man" rather than competence, capability and credibility.

Conventions of the party became controversial with time, primary elections and emergence of candidates even at the ward level of the party made headline stories.

Soon National chairmen of the party were changed and removed  in response to pressures from some group who may not be comfortable with political arrangement. Sooner the party became a kind of Animal farm where the Milk was reserved for a privilege few within the party which did not go well with others.

The reservation practices and what some refer to as lack of internal democracy led to the defection of 5 out of the 7 aggrieved governors to the All Progressive Congress APC. this was sequel to the walking out of some members of the PDP during their special National convention in Abuja, that gave way then to the "New PDP" led by its former chairman Kawu Baraje. The fever soon got to the National Assembly with so many Senators and house member joining the Bandwagon.

With the Loss of the presidential Election to the opposition, the ruling party PDP is thinner though the Blame Game has not ended but from my own opinion, the family is Smaller, differences can now be handled amicably.

The Task Ahead is Big but Rejoice for most of your false friends and fare weather members are gone.  

Those still under the Umbrella should stand firm and truly give the Power to the People as the slogan of the party implies. 

PDP!  Empower  the People and watch the people Give the power to you in subsequent Elections.