PDP: LEADERSHIP FOR SURVIVAL

PDP: LEADERSHIP FOR SURVIVAL

By Kachi Samuels

As a contemporary political party established in 1989, PDP has consistently produced leaders in the highest political offices of the country for a period of sixteen years. However, the Party itself has never really had an experienced, educated and liberal outward looking man/woman to pilot its affairs. The present National Chairman the Party has, by some happenstance spewed out in the last month, and appears to fit the bill.

Casual observers and political history students will all agree that the major political ruling Party in Nigeria has been somewhat unfortunate in its choices of internal Party leaders over the years. The present hostilities within the Party, uncertain Party affixations of card carrying members, the betrayals, backstabbing and general decay within this crumbling political giant can all be directly attributed to the internal leadership of the Party.

Yes, it is a political Party, but it’s also an organisation and should position itself as such, in this present age. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has the capacity to pull the crumbling giant together and mould tit into a semblance of what it once was, he is uniquely qualified to make the Party greater than originally created.

Senator Sheriff has already demonstrated  his remarkable ability by bring various founding fathers to the table and he has united some bickering factors, through his inert ability to disarm and to direct without appearing dictatorial pushy or overbearing, a tick he must have acquired as a student of Insurance Banking and Finance in London Business School.

By virtue of family background, one would expect the Honourable Senator and former Governor to be stuffy, arrogant and unapproachable; the reverse is the case in this particular instance. I have watched the distinguished Senator relate with ordinary Nigerian as equals and I have seen him take personal interest in lives. This trait is sure to bring millions of Nigerians to the big umbrella.

Senator Sheriff is well versed in politics and political administration, as two time Governor and a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has more than enough experience and political wherewithal to provide the leadership PDP needs. He is not cowed by the political intimidations of the present administration, as he responds directly to President Buhari`s caterwauling. Ali Modu Sheriff is political astute, connected and motivated to bring-in the needed results for PDP.

The various organs of PDP should endeavour to pull their heads out of their nether-regions and rally around Ali Modu Sheriff, they should grow-up and put the common good of the Party first for once!!.How be it that every political elite in PDP is shimmering with short sighted political selfishness? When did it become normal and acceptable to pick, use and discard people? What calibre of humans cooked up the idea of a three months National Chairman whose job is to clear up old Party debts, refurbish dilapidated Party offices and pay back -logged staff salaries from personal accounts, organise a hitch-free National Convention for the Party and then fade-off into the sunset, like a good little boy. Where is the heralded PDP fairness?

The recent selection of leadership of various commit tasked with the Organisation of the National Convention, is further indication of Sen Sheriff`s ability to handle the affairs of PDP, why not give him a chance? Why listen to a section of the media bought and paid for to speculate and engender disunity within the PDP fold. As of today if an election is to be conducted between APC and PDP, PDP will still lose because they are fighting at cross purposes and as such, they do not constitute a competition to the present ruling Party. This fact is well known to the incumbent ruling Party, which is why they keep fighting tooth and nail to make certain PDP continues to chase its own tail.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff should be given a chance to stabilize the Party and it must necessarily require a little over a three month time frame, his work thus far; attests to a strong ability to reconstruct and reunite the Party. So, what if he wants to contest for the presidential ticket in 2019, good I say, let him via for the ticket with others of like mind; the more the merrier.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is what PDP needs to resuscitate itself because if the People’s Democratic Party fails in 2019, they would have failed the Nigerians for the last time and they might not survive to try again.