Will The PDP Ever Rise Again? Is The Law of Karma Catching Up with Gov Seyi Makinde? PDP and The Self Inflicted Injury

By Taiwo Olapade

The much-anticipated yet controversial National Convention of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has kicked off at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Despite the two Federal High Courts order stopping the conduct of the exercise meant to elect the new National Executives of the party, the PDP is relying on a recent Supreme Court verdict that limits judicial interference in internal party affairs to go ahead with the exercise.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling on the suit filed by three members of the party for non conduct of their State Congresses, ruled that the status quo be maintained and the needful be done on the matter. The plaintiffs noted that the non conduct of Congresses in some states violates dictates of the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.

Similarly, Justice Peter Lifu towed the same line in the case of unlawful exclusion from the contest of the Chairmanship seat of the party instituted by the former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

From the record, the former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, was the only one who collected and submitted form for the Chairmanship position. Many wonder why the party took such a decision that will further escalate court crisis within the party.

However, the Oyo State High Court presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola granted interim order on the ex parte application by the PDP, allowing the party to conduct the National Convention.

The development has led to factions within the once ruling party as the group loyal to the party’s National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, is pressing ahead with the exercise, insisting that the Supreme Court verdict gives the PDP full authority to conduct its internal affairs without further judicial hindrance.

But those loyal to the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who has the strong backing of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, distanced themselves from the exercise.

What is very certain from the foregoing is that the main opposition party, PDP, will be enmeshed in several court battles from now till the conduct of the 2027 general elections if they refuse to allow justice and transparency hold sway.

It is also becoming clearer why the top leadership of the party, including Governors and National Assembly members, are swiftly decamping to the ruling All Progressives Congress to save their political future from the self inflicted injury by the PDP.

You will recall that the Damagum led leadership suspended Senator Anyanwu after he alleged that his signature was forged. The case is still in court. To demonstrate their own show of force, the Senator Anyanwu faction also suspended the current leadership of Damagum and appointed interim Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed to act in that capacity.

One can easily remember the formation of the G5 Governors led by the then Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the aftermath of the party’s Presidential primary election won by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the build up to the 2023 general elections. I believe you remember what transpired and how the former Vice President emerged as the party’s flag bearer. Other Governors in the team who protested and worked against the party in the 2023 Presidential poll for having the candidate and the National Chairman from the north include Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu from Abia and Ifeanyi Nwgwuanyi of Enugu State. That seems like where the current crisis rocking the PDP started from. Many have predicted that the former ruling party for sixteen years indeed dug its own grave and that the time for the funeral is imminent.

Is it also a case of the Law of Karma for the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, due to the key role he played in the G5 to thwart the Presidential ambition of the party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar? It has been alleged that Seyi Makinde is also nursing a Presidential ambition on the platform of the PDP, the same party that he collaborated with Nyesom Wike to work against in the 2023 Presidential election.

I urge you to wait for the outcome of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party which kicks off today in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and ends tomorrow Sunday.