The Tasks Before The New PDP Chairman

By Edwin Ekene Uhara
The unfortunate circumstances that led to the resignation of Dr. Bamanga

Tukur as the National Chairman of the ruling People's Democratic Party

is one incidence with many lessons for the current occupier of the office

and for anyone who will aspire to occupying the he post in the future! It

is a case of not properly understanding the structural configuration of

the party and not been able to reconcile vested interest, stakeholder's

interest and the peoples interest and still move the party forward.

Sometimes, a leader may know what to do, but, he may have problem with the

method he chose to do it, which may require thoughtfulness, tactfulness

and sagacity.
Nonetheless, I must commend the former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga

Tukur for reducing the powers of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) during

his reign in Wadata Plaza. It will be recalled that, before Tukur's

emergence as the Chairman of the PDP, the Nigerian Governors Forum reigned

supreme in the land as it was the talk of town in Nigeria, and by that

virtue, the Forum was becoming the major determinant of political

activities in the country. Following the successful enthronement of Prince

Vincent Ogbulafor as the National Chairman of the party in the 2008

convention by the Forum under the leadership of former Governor of Kwara

State, Senator Buckola Saraki, against Dr. Sam Egwu who was alleged to be

the anointed candidate of the powers that be; that success gave the Forum

members the impetus and the effrontery to introduce their own brand of

assertive politic in Nigeria. Also, it was the last minutes political

horse-trading between the
Presidency and the Governors Forum that produced Dr. Bamanga Tukur as a

compromised candidate in the 2012 PDP Convention that produced him as

chairman. Where it not for that, the Forum would have sprang another

surprise with their candidate probably emerging at the convention. Hence,

it was understandable why on assumption of office, Dr. Tukur chose to

wage war on the Nigerian Governors Forum, but, the mistake he made was

that, he started the battle without an exit plan. He allowed the battle

to linger on until it became unpopular in some quarters.

Besides, how can a National Chairman of the largest political party in

Africa be quoted as saying he would give automatic tickets to all the PDP

serving Senators, when out the 18 PDP Governors, 14 of them will be

completing their second term in office and based on the growing rate of

disloyalty of Senators to their state governors, most of them would like

to go to the Senate in 2015 where they would still be relevant to the

system.
However, it is now a known fact, that no one can challenge the firm grip

of governors on the party structure in their respective states. Any one

daring them where they have shown interest must have large war chest and

support across the spectrum. In fact, there are two Senatorial Districts

analysts and commentators should closely watch in 2015! There are Enugu

West Senatorial District where the state governor, Barrister Sullivan

Chime will be slogging it out with the Deputy Senate President and Speaker

of ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who is alleged to be

interested in returning to the Senate for the fourth time in 2015.

Honestly, it will be a clash of the titans.
The second Senatorial District is Cross River Central, where Governor

Liyel Imoke will slog it out with the Senate Leader, Senator Victor

Ndoma-Egba who is also alleged to be interested in returning to the

Senate. Both Ekweremadu and Ndoma-Egba have the needed war chest and are

also ranking Senators. But, can they defeat the almighty Imoke and Chime?

Only time will tell.
However, the new PDP Chairman Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu should roll-up his

sleeves to hit the grounds running; he should try his possible best to

bring back the five defected governors whose bodies are in the opposition

APC, but their spirits are still In the PDP. He set should set powerful

machinery in motion with the mandate of taking back Ekiti State and Osun

State from the current tenants occupying them. He should also set up

committees that will bring back all aggrieved party members to its fold.

He must not take unilateral decision on salient party matters, but, must

consult widely before taking any decision. However, stakeholders of the

party must be carried along. He must not fall in to the temptation of

trying to erect his own structure in his home of state of Bauchi State,

because, been a former governor of that state, his political allies may

regroup to use his name and contact to cause unnecessary rivalry in the

state.
Similarly, the new PDP Chairman should embark on a new membership drive

that will focus mostly on the youths, because some of the founding fathers

of the party are now going on retirement. So, there is the need to bring

young people on board who will learn from them and sustain their legacies

in the party and move it to the next level.
Furthermore, he should not run a reactionary PDP that will be trailing

behind the opposition, but, he should run a proactive PDP that will be

setting the pace for the opposition to follow!
Finally, since the party has a very good product in the person of

President Good Luck Ebele Jonathan, the National Chairman should try his

possible best to bring it to the market, because the consumers wants him

to continue.
Comrade Edwin Ekene Uhara is a renowned Activist, Political Strategist,

Media Consultant and Public Affairs Commentator with verifiable track

records.
Reach him on 07065862479, 08076134054
[email protected]
No. 9, Imgbi Road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.