PREAMBLE
Watching with sadness the sudden and the terrible nosedive our
democratic practice has plummeted recently, that even the destiny of our
nation as one indivisible nation is being threatened; as a concerned
Nigerian who would have lost his life in 2005 due to the part I played
in the struggle to thwart the undesired and undemocratic third term
agenda of the powers that be at that period and having monitored the
ongoing regrouping, re-engineering and realignment of our political
structures all aimed at the general elections of 2015, the need to x-ray
the ideals and vision of a man that willingly sacrificed his life for
the deepening of our democratic values becomes imperative. This study
therefore will attempt to unearth the vision of General Yar’Adua and the
type of Nigeria he envisaged that made him to sacrificed his life and
examine the current efforts that is being made by his erstwhile
disciples to rejuvenate and reposition his political machine the Peoples
Democratic Movement (PDM): to either reclaim the political soul of
Nigeria that it once held in high esteem and guided jealously. As they
do this, this study will also attempt to find out if this sudden revival
of PDM at this period will lead to democratic emancipation of our
country and to critically examine where we have gone wrong politically
and proffer solutions where necessary. The study will also attempt the
facts on the ongoing efforts to form political blocks visa-via the hope
that it will assist Nigerians to chart a new democratic path and culture
with a view to safe guarding the indivisibility of Nigeria as a nation
which is very indeed is very sacrosanct in our journey to nationhood.
NIGERIA PECULIAR TYPE OF DEMOCRACY
Having said that, let me start with what actually is the meaning of
democracy; according to Dictionary.com, democracy is defined as
“government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme
power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their
elected agents under a free electoral system; a state of society
characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges. Its system of
democracy ensures that people have a direct say in the country’s
affairs. In a democracy, nothing is supposed to matter more than the
will of the people”. On the contrary, democracy in Nigeria, can be
captured or defined in my own interpretation of our democratic practice
as “the government of the corrupt cabal for the corrupt cabal by the
corrupt cabal as those privileged to be in any particular government in
Nigeria governs the country as if it is an occult society where only
those in power are empowered to be the sole beneficiaries of whatever
the Government in power can provide. In this regard, the contracts are
shared amongst the National Executive Council members with their cohorts
at the National level while at the State level, the Chief Executives
(Governors) and members of the various State Executive Councils. This
type of government which is exclusive in nature, those in power ensure
that other common Nigerians that are not privileged to be associated
with them are kept at bay by every means possible.
Not minding that we are the sixth largest oil producing country in
the world but what do we get in return? Our highways has become dead
traps, darkness the lots of our people, hospitals have become consulting
centres, schools in a comatose state with half-baked unemployable
graduates as its products not minding billions of Naira contracts
assumed to be awarded weekly on pages of National Dailies at the
National level and State levels without any sign of the execution of any
contract or tangible project on the ground. This unfortunate state of
our democracy notwithstanding, commendation should go to the Governments
of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Rivers, Edo and few others States in the
country where the dividends of democracy are delivered to their people.
THE CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supporting my definition of
governance and democracy in Nigeria stated in one of her visits to
Nigeria, “by blaming failed government for Nigeria’s huge poverty gap
and urged Africa’s most populous nation to toughen up on corruption and
fix a “flawed” electoral system. According to her, the continent’s
biggest energy producer and its second biggest economy — should rank
among the world’s most important developing nations but its reputation
for graft undermined its international standing. “The most immediate
source of the disconnect between Nigeria’s wealth and its poverty is a
failure of governance at federal, state and local level, Nigeria should
be in a position to be part of the G20 but — a big but — the corruption
reputation … it is a problem,”.
Renowned social media outlet the Republic Reports in confirming the
corrupt rate in the country gave statics how the country’s funds are
shared amongst our leaders in its special report titled, “Bombshell: How
Nigeria’s Trillions, $44B Public Debts Are Pocketed By 17,500 Top
Public Officers & Political Criminals—Reports” to the detriment of
over 167 million Nigerians supporting my definition of democracy in
Nigeria as the government of the corrupt cabal for the corrupt cabal by
the corrupt cabal.
According to recent report by the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor,
Mallam Sanusi Sanusi the CBN economic report for the second quarter of
2012 shows that the sum of N988.36 billion was allocated to the 36 state
governments and the 774 local government councils in April, May and
June 2012, respectively as statutory allocations, VAT receipts and 13%
derivation. The question in the minds of many Nigerians is where have
all these funds gone to instead the report before many Nigerians is one
woe or the other – lack of employment among our teeming graduates, our
hospitals turned to mere consulting hospital without adequate equipment
thereby making mockery of our nation.
It was said that by the 60s the families of the Royal dynasty of
Saudi Arabia were coming to UCH Ibadan to be treated but our late
President Musa Yar’Adua died in their hospital not minding what was
brought back to the country then, today our first Lady, Dame Jonathan is
in a German hospital recuperating, our leaders these days go to India
to be treated for mere headache while we are told of billions of Naira
been embezzled by public officers on provision of health facilities. On
roads billions of Naira is spent almost on weekly basis, the Campaign
for Democracy captured it aptly when in its recent report, it stated
that South East roads alone claim 1,223 lives in two years as it decries
the deplorable condition of Federal Highways within the South-East
zone.“Statistics show that out of about 8,750km of federal roads in the
country, the South-East has about 3,480km. And only about 980km are
motorable, while over 2,500km are death traps and near-to-hell ditches.
The bad roads claimed 82 lives in a day, which included 20 school
children going on excursion on September 2010 when a fuel-laden tanker
exploded at Odumodu-Umunya junction on the Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Road,”.
Four quality Lecturers of Igbinedon University died as a trailer coming
from Benin, in an attempt to avoid a failed portion on the road, drove
on the lane of the oncoming Audi Car, which the lecturers were
travelling, forcing it to swerve into Ovia River, near Ekiadolor on 5th
September, 2012.
These are the sorrow state of Federal roads in all the regions of the
country. Tens of thousands of Nigerians lose their lives and properties
yearly due to the deplorable conditions of the roads, while trillions
of naira is pocketed by the contractors and their collaborators in
government. In every budget, the works ministry is allocated large sums
of money and at the end of the year the minister in charge cannot point
to how many kilometres of road was built or repaired
IS PDP THE PROBLEM OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA?
According to the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP); PDP
is the major problem facing Nigeria. The group affirmed this while
reacting to the 14 anniversary of the Peoples Democratic Party that the
party has failed Nigerians. CNPP further noted said instead of giving
excuses, a responsible, responsive and patriotic ruling political party,
should have ceased the opportunity of the 14th anniversary for
introspection and soul searching; in order to examine how come over 70%
of Nigerians today live below poverty line, as against 40% in 1998 and
how come Nigerians are not just restive, but are declaring for self-
government, hoisting flags and coats of arms?
Whereas, we cannot belabor you with uncountable PDP’s theatre of
absurd; it is our considered view that what the Peoples Democratic Party
{PDP} is celebrating is its 14th anniversary of locus years.
Accordingly, it is incumbent on the party to openly apologize to
Nigerians for years of broken promises, failed leadership, and
enthronement of corruption and culture of impunity.
To ACN the biggest opposition party in the country, PDP is the cause
of all the woes in the country in its recent report. According to the
party, “Is it the worrying takeover of the country by sundry armed
gangs, killers of all sorts, suicide bombers who have brought Nigeria to
the level of strife torn Somalia, as an eminent founder of PDP
confessed recently? Is it the state of unemployment that has soared to
the extent that tens of thousands of graduates apply for truck drivers
post as shown in the Dangote drivers’ recruitment exercise going on at
present? Is it in the total breakdown of infrastructures in every sector
to the extent that the country has become decay that has made the
country a morgue of decayed and obsolete infrastructures? Is it on
corruption, which the PDP celebrates as a virtue and has elevated to
such height that nothing works in Nigeria again? Is it in election
rigging, which sustains the false strength of the PDP and which it had
sworn never to depart from? Is it in the unending series of judicial
manipulations and all manners of sly acts with which the PDP has defaced
our constitution to make it amenable to its wiles and chicanery? Is it
on the array of anti-people polices and governmental extortions that
have driven Nigerians to the very edges of their existence while leaders
of the PDP smile to the bank with stolen loot each passing day? Are
Nigerians celebrating that PDP has turned Nigeria into a borderless land
of unending misery, ethnic war fare, insecurity and torture?”
2015: THE CHALLENGES AND THREAT OF BREAKUP OF PDP
With threat with many major opposition parties in the country,
including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria People’s
Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and others
finalising talks over the proposed alliance ahead of 2015 election, amid
high expectations, Second Republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji
Balarabe Musa, affirmed in a chat recently that principal actors in the
alliance were more than eager to ensure the ouster of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) from power by the next general election. Musa
said he was part of the actors who had been working to ensure a new
government takes over power in 2015. “ACN is currently the largest
opposition party in Nigeria at the moment. We count on the party to work
in unison with other political parties for the good of the opposition.”
In another development it is reported that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
and the former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,
as well as some sitting governors on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) have perfected plans to float a new political
party ahead of the 2015 elections. In the plot, driven mostly by some
serving and former governors from the Northern part of the country,
Obasanjo is expected to make a statement in mid-2013, stating reasons
for power to return to the North in 2015.
REACTIONS
The PDP Publicity Secretary, Chief Metuh stated, “On the unconfirmed
reports of possible formation of a break away party from the PDP, let us
wait until that happens; we will wait to confirm such stories than
react now”
In reaction against the background of alliance talks between the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) ahead of the 2015 election, a former national chairman of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Barnabas Gemade, has said any
gang up against the ruling party will fail. Senator Gemade, who
represents Benue State in the Senate, wondered why the PDP would be
worried about opposition alliance when it had not worked out in the
past, saying “the PDP should not be afraid of the gang up, it is not
new.”
Chief Owolabi Salis who contested the office of the National
Secretary of the party during its last congress cautions against
breaking up PDP as that may crumble the country, “If PDP could break it
would also lead to the disintegration of the country because of its
weight in the country. It has become a national treasure that deserves
careful and cautious management”
SOLUTIONS AS CANVASSED BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN
In his reaction, President Jonathan told Nigerians that they should
be able to utilise the power of the voter card to get rid of bad leaders
in government, saying that it was with this in mind that his
administration decided to sanitise the electoral process to ensure that
the wish of the people prevailed at elections. Speaking during the
inauguration of the second edition of the Youth Enterprise with
Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin!) for women in the State House, Abuja, on
Monday, he explained that it was necessary to reform the electoral
process to make it relevant to the people’s aspirations. “We feel that
for a political dispensation to be relevant to the people and to endure,
the electoral process must be sanitised. The voter card of Nigerians
must make them vote out the bad politicians. That is the only way we
politicians will be committed and do what is right.“And for that we
promised to change the electoral process. We have not reached where we
want to go but Nigerians and, indeed, all people that have been
monitoring our elections have observed that this is a different face of
Nigeria and we will continue to improve on it.”
He expressed his administration’s commitment to tackling corruption
even as he observed that those who shout about corruption in the country
were some of the most corrupt in the country.
The president noted: “In this country, these days, people talk about
corruption. Sometimes those who are corrupt even shout more about
corruption but we are tackling it gradually. If you look at the
agriculture sector where scandals of procurement of fertilisers and
tractors and other scandals were going on, we have stopped that. In the
oil sector, we are going to stop it. Gradually, this will thin down. We
cannot change the society overnight but we have to take it step by
step.”
GENERAL SHEHU YAR’ADUA, THE BEGINNING, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, VISION, MISSION AND DEATH
Having examined the fallacy of the type of democracy we practise in
Nigeria, let me now seek for solutions by attending to the main subject
of this treatise without hope that it will open our eyes to imbibe the
patriotic disposition of this icon of democracy in his arts of bravery
and sacrifice. Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua fondly called Tafida by
his admirers was an accomplished force to reckon in the politics of
Nigeria and in death his legacy remain a guide to those who hold and
seek political power. He was born on March 5, 1943 to an aristocratic
Fulani family in Katsina; his father, late Mallam Musa Yar’Adua, a
former Minister for Lagos during the First republic, held the royal
title of Mutawalli (custodian of the treasury) of the Katsina Emirate.
Late Shehu Yar’Adua, Nigerian soldier, businessman and politician and
was the older brother of former Nigerian President Late Umaru Yar’Adua.
Trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, England
and returned from Sandhurst in 1964 as a young Second Lieutenant not
long before the Nigerian Civil War broke out.
Major Yar’Adua’s capture of Onitsha in 1967 is regarded as the
decisive battle which led to the end of the bloody conflict that
consumed millions of lives.
The Civil War had a tremendous impact on Lt. Col. Shehu Yar’Adua.
Disheartened by the devastation he witnessed, he recognised the futility
of disunity based on ethnicity, region or religion. He understood that a
united Nigeria was prerequisite for the nation’s growth and
development.
Colonel Shehu Yar’Adua served as Federal Commissioner of Transport in
1976. As Commissioner, he was credited with establishing a blueprint
for the development of Nigeria’s transport sector as well as the
reorganisation and decongestion of the nation’s ports. Upon the
assassination of the revered Head of State, Murtala Mohammed, in 1976,
Shehu Yar’Adua was named Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and
promoted to the rank of Major-General in the Obasanjo Administration. At
just 36 years of age, he was the youngest officer to hold that rank on
the entire Continent.
Among his many accomplishments, perhaps most significant was the
Administration’s successful conduct of an elections and historic hand
over to a democratic rule in 1979. As the first military government to
voluntarily hand over power in Africa, Generals Obasanjo and Yar’Adua
recognized that the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria was the only
way to ensure stability and social harmony in the country
Upon retirement, Yar’Adua joined the business world with emphasis on
private sector driven economy and varying interests in publishing,
agriculture, manufacturing, oil & Gas and shipping. He co-founded
with the Late MKO Abiola Habib Nigeria Bank now KeyStone Bank. He
established the Islam in Africa Organisation and served as Chairman of
the National Mosque Committee where he oversaw the funding and building
of the National Mosque, Abuja.
In April 1978 he was honoured by Katsina people and turbaned as Tafida, a traditional title he inherited from his father.
HIS POLITICS
According to Shehu Yar’Adua, “Public service is service to God. You serve God by serving his creatures”
But the return of a military regime without a firm commitment to
handing over to a democratically elected government led General Yar’Adua
to join politics. He was prepared to lead the political class through
the familiar antics and obstacles set by his former colleagues in
uniform. Shehu Yar’Adua was a gifted politician. His grassroots politics
were void of ethnic bias and religious or regional sentiment, His
organisation, whether PF or SDP or PDM, dominated the political
landscape of the country, breaking what he dubbed the siege mentality
which had dogged politics since 1914.
His aspiration to become the SDP Presidential flagbearer was inspired
by a desire to give this nation the committed and responsible
leadership the country so desperately desired and deserved. He advocated
a new National Purpose which was designed to enrich lives, inspire
patriotic pride and serve the common good of all.
As a Presidential candidate, Yar’Adua continued to break old
barriers, beating formidable home-based political opponents and winning
elections across the nation to become his party’s nominee. Just when he
was poised to win his party’s presidential nomination, his election was
annulled and he was banned from further participation.
Without bitterness or rancour, General Yar’Adua devoted himself to
playing the role of advisor, mentor and counsellor through new rounds of
elections. He continued to steer the country toward democracy as the
single most influential politician in the country.
WHY HE DIED FOR NIGERIA -
Always a courageous leader, Yar’Adua stood in the forefront of those
who demanded a timely and definite handover date to democratically
elected government. Those who sought to perpetuate themselves in power
plotted to arrest and jail him and others in order to remove any
obstacles that stood on their path.
He was sentenced to life in prison by a military tribunal in 1995,
after calling on the Nigerian military government of Gen. Sani Abacha
and his Provisional Ruling Council to re-establish civilian rule. He
died in captivity on 8 December 1997.
Even when his death sentence was passed, Shehu Yar’Adua’s spirit and
determination were not broken. From Kirikiri Prison in 1995, he wrote;
“don’t worry too much about me. It is the sacrifice some of us must make
for our country to be free”. While in Abakaliki Prison in Ebonyi
Statebased on the documentary on the uncompleted Bridge Builder, the
famous letter he sent to then President of USA, President Bill Clinton
becomes a reference of what a true leader should be, “Mr. President sir,
It is becoming very obvious that I and General Olusegun Obasanjo may
die in prison but we are not cowed as we are ready to sacrifice our
lives for the greatness and future of our country but I plead with you
Mr. President not to give up on Nigeria and her people as you must do
everything humanly possible to help the country from the hands of the
dictator ruling the country at this period to enable our people have
freedom and democratise”. I just wonder who other leader was ready to do
this for democracy in Nigeria. He died and the country lost a gentleman
and a hero, but the structures he built could not be destroyed. The
democracy we now enjoy is testimony to Shehu Yar’Adua’s courage and
leadership. It is his courage and his leadership that we continue to
celebrate.
COMMENTS ON HIM BY OTHER LEADERS
His wife Hajia Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua described her husband as one, who
believed in truth, stood by it and died in the pursuant of it. He was a
man with a golden heart and he stood and died for one thing: truth.
Governor Martins Elechi from Ebonyi State recalled that it was for
the late Yar’Adua at the defunct constituent Assembly that made for the
present 13% derivation revenue for the oil producing states. “I was
never so close to him but the lives of people permeate the fabrics of
the society through the words of those who stand close to them. The late
general, founder of Social Democratic Party, (SDP), the party that was
determined to make a clean break from the military dispensation, for the
period the party was alive, we saw the difference in Nigeria politics.
To late Rt. Hon. Chuba Okadigbo, “Yar adua was a strategist whose
strategy was to first of all identify the problem, think out a solution
and attack the problem” while to Ambassador Carrington, “Yar adua was a
patriot who loved his country and laid down his life for the good of his
people and country”
To General Olusegun Obasanjo, “Yar adua was a master strategist of
high standards with few words. When he told me he wanted to form a
political party I knew something big and good wanted to happen to the
country”.
PDM AND THE POLITICS OF NIGERIA
Like a General that he was, the late YarAdua commanded a strong
following such, that even in death, he is still being celebrated. This
contrasts sharply with our experience in recent history where the
memories of some of our leaders are fast being consigned to the dustbin.
But political observers are quick to point at his leadership
qualities. This quintessential politician, strategist and manger of men
and resources founded a political group-the Peoples Democratic Movement
(PDM). He brought his careful planning, organisational skill and
adroitness to bear on the group such that in no time, the PDM become a
force to be reckoned with politically.
It was, therefore, not much of a surprise to many that in the run up
to the 1992 transition programme of the Ibrahim Babangida regime, the
Tafida was coasting home to victory in the Social Democratic Party (SDP)
primaries before the process was truncated. He, alongside other
presidential aspirants, was banned from participating in the election.
Even at that, his PDM structure was instrumental to the emergence of
the late Chief M.K.O Abiola as the flagbearer of the SDP. The late
Abiola went on to contest the June 12, 1993 presidential election and
was presumed to be coasting home to victory until the election was
annulled by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
By then, the influence of the PDM had become very visible for any student of the politics and power not to note.
But even at that, his political structure-the PDM was reputed to have
provided the platform upon which former president Olusegun Obasanjo
rode to power in 1999. Indeed, most of the leading members of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at inception were leading members of the
PDM.
Political pundits are quick to point to this as the reason behind the
prominent roles some PDM members played in the first term of the
Obasanjo presidency. For instance, the former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar emerged from the group. There were other members of the PDM who
held strategic positions.
Though, it has been many years of his demise, many of his lieutenants
still bestride the political space, pulling their own weight too. From
North to South, East to West.
Some of them include the former Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih,
former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Presidential
Adviser on Women Affairs, Chief (Mrs) Titi Ajanaku and former Chairman,
Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Others are the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Amb. Babagana Kingibe, former Minister of Special Duties, chief Yomi Edu
and former Minister of State for foreign Affairs, Chief Duben Onyia,
just to mention a few.
THE RECENT ATTEMPT TO REJUVENATE THE PDM POLITICAL MACHINE
The PDM a national “consciousness movement”, pioneered by Late
General Shehu Musa Yar’adua for the promotion of core ideals of
democracy; sustenance of and support for peaceful co-existence among the
diverse groups in the country; bridge building among the diverse
segments of the country; promotion of good governance and sustainable
development of Nigeria though for some time now, it seems that PDM has
lost its potency in the political affairs particularly after the first
tenure of General Obasanjo Presidency. But on 29th August, 2012 at the
Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Central Business District, Abuja a rejuvenation
Meeting of the PDM was held.
The purpose of the meeting according to the communiqué issued at the
end of the meeting duly signed by Chief Engr, Godie Ikechi the Secretary
of the new Group was to provide a forum for the reunion of old members
of the Movement and also bring on-board new members. Delegates from all
the 36 States of the Federation and FCT were in attendance. Also present
at the meeting were key leaders of the Movement, among who were, Chief
Tony Anenih, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, and Ambassador Yahaya Kwande.
The National Steering Committee, the organizers of the meeting was
led by Hon. (Chief) Bode Ajewole, Engr. Godie Ikechi, Sen. Abubakar
Mahdi, Murtala Shehu Yar’adua, Dr. Etim Amba, Alhaji A. A. Matawallen
Hadeija, Chief Ejiofor Onyia, Hon. Dubem Onyia, Dame Titi Ajanoku,
Alhaji Bashiru Yusuf Ibrahim, Prince Tonye Princewill and Otumba
Olupounle Ebo.
During this meeting, Goodwill messages were presented by eminent
members of the Movement from all the Geo-political zones.
Representatives of Women and Youths also delivered goodwill messages at
the meeting. Contributions from the floor were also received on the way
to strengthen the Movement. Tributes were paid to the Late Shehu Musa
Yar’adua, the founder of the movement, for the supreme sacrifice he made
in furtherance of unity and democracy in Nigeria as well as to other
departed leaders of the movement.
The meeting was given a tour of the uncompleted bridge which adorns
the lawn of Yar’adua Centre as a testimony to the work that must be done
to complete the hanging bridge by reuniting Nigeria and bringing
democracy and good governance back to the country.
The Movement presented a road map for its immediate future
activities, among which is a proposed National Summit on “The State of
the Nation” scheduled to hold in the last quarter of 2012.
The Movement resolved to rekindle among its members the spirit of national unity, promotion of peace and good governance.
One unique feature of the new PDM that was so prominent is that it is
the new PDM is being anchored on the vibrancy and resourcefulness of
younger Turks within the group to enhance the movement’s reinvigoration,
complete re-engineering and to make the movement more acceptable to
Nigerians. Notable names said to be the brains behind the re-structuring
and re-positioning of PDM are Abia State born master strategist,
tactician and seasoned administrator of great repute, Chief Engr Goddie
Ikechi who is the protem secretary, Chief Dubem Onyia, one time Foreign
Affairs Minister of State and a PDP chieftain from Enugu State, Alhaji
Murtala Yar’Adua, first son of the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and PDM
founder, Mrs Zainab Boni Haruna, former first Lady of Adamawa State,
Alhaji Bashir Yusuf, a very salient and lethal political operator and of
course the very amiable and charismatic, young politician from Rivers
State, Prince Tonye Princewill, fondly called the Prince of Niger Delta
Politics.
The new PDM is chaired by Chief Bode whose main weapon and armoury is
his infectious humility and readiness to listen attentively and allow a
level playing ground for every participant. Alhaji Inuwa Baba, former
Chief Protocol Officer under President Olusegun Obasanjo and late Shehu
Musa Yar’Adua administrator is also said to be very involved in the
process of restoring the PDM to its former enviable status.
This meeting is seen as the most vibrant effort to revive the one
time political machine that determines who governs at the centre and the
pivotal group that initiated the formation of PDP. It added that the
meeting was given the task of re-uniting Nigeria and bringing democracy
and good governance back to the country.
The Movement, according to the communiqué, presented a road map for
its immediate future activities, among which is a proposed National
Summit on “The State of the Nation” scheduled to hold in the last
quarter of 2012.
The Movement resolved to rekindle, among its members, the spirit of national unity, promotion of peace and good governance.
ATIKU ABUBAKAR AND PDM
To Atiku Abubakar former Vice President of Nigeria, Shehu Yar’Adua
was a Great Leader and the best political leader and thinker in
post-independence Nigeria. “I am a good student of the late leader and
that my on-going political activism was consistent with what Shehu
taught me as he would have done the same things that I am doing. He
hated injustice with passion and would have gone to court on these
elections”.
The fact remains that Atiku ABUBAKAR in absence of the founder of the
group is seen as the arrow head of the group having studied and acted
as the Deputy of General Shehu Yar’Adua while alive but a lot
insinuation is being read into his absence during this meeting.
According to report by Chuks Okocha of ThisDay Newspapers, “Atiku was
reportedly absent from the meeting as it was learnt that although the
invitation to attend the meeting was extended to Atiku, who was said to
be in town on that day, he chose to stay away. It was gathered that
Atiku is not happy over the role members of the PDM played in 2011
during the PDP presidential primary where the late Yar’Adua’s political
associates supported President Goodluck Jonathan against him. The former
chairman of the group, Alhaji Farouk Abdulazzi, led the PDM members to
support Jonathan’s presidential bid in 2011.
In the meeting; Alh. Lawal Kaita one time Governor of the old Kaduna
State a famous and influential member of the group told members that
Atiku could not make it to the meeting due to cold and apologised for
his absence while pledging his unalloyed commitment to the group and
supporting the view of this elder statesman, Mallam Shehu Garba the
Spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, confirmed to Daily Sun that his boss
was aware of the move to revive the group and endorsed the parley. “He
wasn’t present there, but he was aware of their meeting and he
encouraged them. As you are aware without the PDM, there wouldn’t have
been PDP. So, they want to re-invigorate the platform.” But he denied
that it had anything to do with Atiku’s presidential ambition. It has
nothing to do with his political ambition. PDM is a platform within PDP.
My understanding is that they are just trying to resuscitate it to be
relevant in PDP”.
Supporting this view, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief
Olisa Metuh in his defence of Chief Anenih’s presence at the PDM’s
meeting, quoted Anenih as saying that he was there to re-emphasise the
oneness of the PDP as a political party. “I have it on good authority
that he told them that we don’t have division within the party.” He said
the PDP would, this week, re-emphasise to its members the need to steer
clear of politics of 2015 at this time in line with the position of the
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
THE NEW MISSION OF PDM DEFINED
Was this type of democracy as painted above that General Shehu
Yar’Adua died for, of course no; this may be why the revival and
rejuvenation of PDM at this time becomes imperative as being the major
stakeholder in PDP, the onus lays on them to breathe life back to the
party and make it more acceptable to Nigeria and Nigerians.
According to Hon.(Chief) Bode Ajewole Chairman National Steering
Committee exposed the new mission of PDM while presenting his speech
stated and I quote, “the uncompleted bridge outside this building tells
the story and we are all part of that story. it is now our obligation to
endeavour to complete the bridge of Nigerian unity finally, let me
emphasize here that the Yaradua political family, by tradition can
neither be used to antagonize a duly elected seating government, nor
become a platform for unguarded and non- constructive criticisms. It is
our duty to support, encourage good governance, genuine efforts towards
the entrenchment of enduring democracy, transparency, corruption- free
and egalitarian society. In the same vein, since PDM is one of the major
founding stakeholders of PD, we are all obliged to continue to give
maximum support to PDP as our party and its government both at the
federal and state levels.
This notwithstanding, we would not hesitate at all times, to express
our displeasure and disapproval of any government policy and programme,
which in our considered opinion, are not in the best interest of all
Nigerians. Above all, we shall promote ideals and policies that will
engender national unity and at all times truly demonstrate our
commitment to our belief and motto of one indivisible Nigeria as a
united entity.
Let me conclude this treatise by quoting a great mind, President Bill
Clinton while nominating President Obama as the next President of
America on 6th September, 2012, “ To succeed as a leader, the story of
your life and service records, your values and beliefs, your conviction
and desperation for change must count and drive you beyond puerile
partisanship. “And he believes that when you work hard and done well and
walk through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut
behind you. No, you reach back and you give other folks the same chances
that help you succeed.” A word is enough for the wise!
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt, ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.com, 08038199163
