Prior to the emergence of Anenih, three distinctive camps were locked in the battle to control the PDP machinery. The three identified camps in the struggle were: Jonathan, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and PDP governors. The last battle for the control of the conscience of the party, which is its BoT, was made possible last Monday with the submission of a six-man committee led by Prof Jerry Gana.
The Gana committee was expected to resolve how the Board of Trustee (BoT) was to be reconstituted. Sources close to the party explained that the battle was not strictly between Obasanjo and Jonathan camps as portrayed in the public. “It is not true that the governors are with Obasanjo camp. Nobody can say precisely what the governors want from the party. It is speculated that they may want to present one of themselves as presidential candidate for the 2015 election. The only thing we know is that the governors had always tried to exercise their powers within the party. It has always been there,” a PDP chieftain told Saturday Sun.
Attempt to elect a chairman of the BoT on January 8 failed because the camps involved in the subtle struggle suspected each other. While some argued that the number of BoT members should be reduced, others wanted it increased so that as many as possible can be involved in the running of the party.
As it later emerged, President Jonathan’s camp has had the upper hand with the successful submission of Gana’s committee report and the simultaneous emergence of Anenih, thus slanting the control of the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, which is the most powerful organ of the party, as the next battle ground for control.
The PDP governors currently control two third of the members of the NEC. In recent past, the governors had pressed for the meeting of NEC. But a meeting of the body as constituted could spell doom for the camp of the President as the Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and those loyal to him in the National Working Committee (NWC) may be removed from office through a vote of no confidence.
According to sources, the meeting of the NEC would only come up after the president is satisfied that the BoT has been properly enlarged to accommodate more of his supporters. This is because all members of the BoT are ex officio members of the party and they are qualified to attend NEC meetings and vote on issues. Two leading members of the party, Chief Yomi Akintola and Ebenezer Babatope told Saturday Sun that the BoT members could vote at NEC meetings. The implication is that the vote of the newly constituted BoT may decide where the pendulum would swing.
As of today, there are 98 members of NEC while there are 120 BoT members. When reconstituted, BoT members may be about 150. If NEC meeting is held with 150 BoT members, it is not likely that the governors could disgrace Tukur out of office and if the chairman remains in office, it means that for 2015 party primaries, power still resides with the President’s men.
The potency of power of PDP govs
In the days of Obasanjo, the governors almost truncated the second term bid of the then President. They were in support of Atiku Abubakar, the then Vice President. A former FCT minister, Nasir El-Rufai recently revealed in his book: Accidental Public Servant that Obasanjo was on his knees pleading with Atiku and it was Atiku who made it possible for Obasanjo to clinch the party ticket for second term after pleading with the governors to backpedal.
Former President Umaru Yar’Adua gave all the powers to the governors when it was time to elect national officers of the party. Yar’Adua made it clear that the governors would decide who was to be chairman of the party. Sam Egwu, a former governor with the support of Obasanjo was a leading aspirant for the position. The present Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ayim Pius Ayim presented himself as candidate against Obasanjo’s. The governors invited all aspirants for interview and settled for Vincent Ogbulafor who was at a time the secretary of the party.
Adamu Ciroma who was the convention chairman was so pissed off that he insisted that all those stepping down should climb the podium and announce it to the hearing of all delegates.
The recent sack of the National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola who appealed a court ruling against him as well as the removal of Segun Oni and Chief Bode Mustapha as vice chairman and Auditor respectively were smart political moves aimed at giving the National Chairman, Tukur a breathing space in the National Working Committee of the party and totally cleanse it of any influence by the governors.
The governors had in the past had their says. But the president had always had his way. The battles already won and the ones ahead may further confirm this saying.
Effect of power struggle on the party
There are indications that many are disgruntled with the current development in PDP. On the surface, it could result in serious electoral losses if nothing is done to reconcile the differences between the various camps in the party. Some experienced politicians said it is difficult to resolve differences when there is struggle for power.
“There is no misunderstanding that God cannot resolve. Even though God will not come down to resolve differences. He will always use people. The thinking of many people is that the newly formed APC would be an alternative party. But I can tell you that it will require an act of God for that party to succeed.
The newly formed party will crumble when it is time to pick the candidate for President”,Chief Yomi Akintola declared. In his own opinion, Babatope said: “The party must continue to function. Nobody is above the party.”
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