PDP..Nigeria's Biggest Threat To Democracy (CKN Opinion)

That the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prides itself as the largest Party in Africa is understandably, if the population of Africa’s largest nation is anything to go by.

In 1998 a group of political leaders, eighteen of them in the first instance and later thirty four, led by Nigeria’s former vice President Dr Alex Ekwueme got tired of the antics of the Military regime and decided to take the bull by the horn by forming the G-34 Group which later transformed into People Democratic Party with the former Governor of Plateau State as its National Chairman.

The Party has won every Presidential election since 1999.

It also has majority membership in the National assembly as well as State Governors.

The party controls the federal structures including the Ministries, parastatals and other agencies.

The Party has remained a robust meeting point for all shades of political opinions, individuals and interests as the case may be.

Every successive PDP administration had a set out agenda on how to better Nigeria and how to make life more meaningful to the citizens.

The Peoples Democratic in all fairness has been to a large extent democratic in its activities if compared to the opposition parties whose leadership, structures and decision making are centered on single individuals.

But PDP strengths over the years have also remained its weakness. Inter/Intra party activities within its folds had most often than not shaken Nigeria to its foundation.

The unnecessary bickering within its fold has threatened our fledgling democracy.

Its inability to manage success becomes more endemic to the ordinary citizens of the country.

When President Goodluck Jonathan was proclaimed an Acting President through the doctrine of necessity initiated by the National Assembly, most people applauded the move. Nigerians irrespective of their political inclination vehemently opposed the actions and activities of certain cabals who took advantage of the illness of the then President Yar’Adua to deny him his right of place in the scheme of governance.

The support reached a feverish height when Yar’Adua died and Goodluck eventually became President.

In 2011, Nigerians trooped out and voted for President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP against a very strong opposition from the Presidential candidate of the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Rtd.

With such massive support, it was expected that the PDP under President Goodluck Jonathan would take Nigeria to the next level in terms of Infrastructure development, human capital and other developmental projects.

Rather than delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians, the party is plunging its self from one crisis to another.

Governance has taken a back seat, while personal interest has been taken to the front burner.

The party is the past 13 years that it has been in power has nothing to show for the huge resources at its disposal.

Life is not getting better for the citizens, insecurity has become the order of the day, while a few Nigerians have decided to amass our collective wealth.

President Goodluck Jonathan and its party are now presiding over a divided country (the first of its kind since the end of the civil war).

The recent election of the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum has divided Nigeria into two parts with half of the Governors raising their opposition against the President and his candidates.

Imposition of candidates has become the order of the day with an intimidating possibility of a revolt within the Party.

The former Vice President of Nigeria and Chieftain of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku raised the alarm bell few days ago on the need for the founding founders of the Party to rescue it from total collapse.

As Nigerian celebrates the second year of President Goodluck Jonathan’s 4^th Republic administration tomorrow (29^th May 2013) and PDP’s 13^th year leadership of Nigeria, it is CKN Nigeria’s expectation that the Party will be able to put its house in order so as to avoid the same fate most ruling political parties experienced in some African countries in recent time.

Ghana is a good example, where an incumbent President was rejected at the polls.

2015 is just around the corner...It’s either the PDP try and put its house in order or be ready to be replaced by a hungrier and focused opposition.

PDP as a Chicken should stop eating its own Intestines.

Chris Kehinde Nwandu is Editor In Chief Of CKN Nigeria...All reactions or contributions to the article should be sent to cknnigeria@gmail.com