Sheriff and other contenders in PDP chairmanship

 

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party appears to be getting messier. Justice Okon Abang’s ruling, which described the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party as illegal, may serve as a potential threat to aspirants for the party’s chairmanship position, unless Makarfi faction appeals the judgment.

The Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee had fixed its national convention for next month to elect the party’s new executive members. But Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who still sees himself as the PDP national chairman, said that by the virtue of the party’s constitution, he must remain in office till 2018.

He therefore urged the court to declare moves aimed at removing, replacing or conducting fresh elections into the PDP national offices as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void, a prayer Justice Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted.

In spite of the judgment, some members of the PDP see the next national convention of the party as an opportunity to realise their ambition. They have therefore thrown their hats into the ring to lead the opposition.

Raymond Dokpesi

He has never hidden his desire to play an active role in the PDP. In the last days of Goodluck Jonathan presidency, Dokpesi had been touted as the next Chief of Staff to the ex-President. But that did not materialise.

He was said to have played a huge role in the sacking of the factional National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, by joining hands with the former ministers, members of the BoT of the party and some former legislators in organising a parallel national convention in Abuja on May 21 when the governors and some other members of the party were in Port Harcourt for another national convention.

To achieve his ambition, Dokpesi has commenced his nationwide campaign by meeting delegates, leaders of the party and in some cases, traditional rulers.

Dokpesi told his party members that he was vying for the coveted seat to unite the party.

“I want to unite the party. I want to rebrand the PDP, I want us to return to the principles of our founding fathers,” he had said.

Prof. Tunde Adeniran

Adeniran was a former Minister of Education. He was a front runner for the post of the national secretary of the PDP during one of the party’s national convention held in Abuja. However, the governors moved against him and rallied round their former colleague, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was a former governor of Osun State.

His demeanour at the Eagles Square, where the convention held indicated that he was not happy with the decision of the party, which forced all aspirants to step down for the Okuku-born Prince. But as a loyal party man, Adeniran, like many others, could only grumble. He stomached his anger.

Adeniran isn’t a money bag, but he is said to have integrity and the support of majority of the members of the BoT of the party. Apart from that, he is also said to be enjoying the support of a money bag from the South-West.

However, it is not clear if the former minister, who is from Ekiti State, has the support of his state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.  This is because the governor was said to have looked the other way when Adeniran indicated interest during the last national convention where he (Fayose) became the number one supporter of the now rejected Ali Modu Sheriff.

With or without Fayose’s support, Adeniran has promised to lead the party with integrity. He also urged the PDP members from the South-West to unite ahead of the convention.

Gbenga Daniel

His political sojourn had taken him to two political parties since his foray into the politics. Daniel is a former Ogun State governor on the platform of the PDP. But when he found heat in the party too hot to contain him and his supporters, Daniel led them to the Peoples Party of Nigeria in 2011 where he fielded his preferred candidate, Gboyega Isiaka, as the governorship candidate of his new party. He was angry that as the governor of the state, he was not allowed to produce the PDP’s governorship candidate.

He and his supporters were blamed for the defeat the PDP suffered in the state because of their alleged betrayal. Ironically, Daniel is back on the political turf and is said to be warming up to lead the PDP he once hated with passion. The factionalisation of the party in the state maybe his bane. It is not sure that he has the command of any of the factions. This may be his albatross.

Olabode George

A former military administrator of the old Ondo State and a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, is a political warlord. When it was almost a political miscalculation to belong to the PDP in the South-West, George moved around with his party’s umbrella with relish. He was a rally-point to members of the party in his zone.

He was one of those who showed interest in the chairmanship race early. He was said to have sought the support of the two governors from the South-West, Fayose and the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to enable him to realise his ambition. Despite his experience in management of political party, the retired naval officer is being accused of belonging to a faction of the party in his home state, Lagos.

Taoheed Adedoja

The former provost of a college of education and former Minister of Youths and Sports is one of the two aspirants from Oyo State eying the conveted seat of the national chairman of the PDP. But unlike others, he has yet to openly begin his campaign for the position. He was a former commissioner and a former governorship aspirant on the platform of different political parties in the state.

Rashidi Ladoja

The name of Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja is also being mentioned as one of those interested in becoming the next national chairman of the PDP. The former governor of Oyo State has contested to return to office twice after his first tenure on the platform of the Accord Party, but lost. Some people are saying he has yet to rejoin the PDP, which he left about nine years ago.

Uche Secondus

Prince Uche Secondus was part of the last National Working Committee of the PDP where he served as the deputy national chairman. He also acted as acting national chairman when the  then National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, resigned after leading the party to a disastrous outing during the last general election. Popularly known as “Total” because of his alleged loyalty to the party, Secondus is said to be enjoying the support of the five governors from his geo-political zone. His loyalty to the party is also said to be working for him.

Jimi Agbaje

A pharmacist by training, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, is a new entrant into the party. However, his impressive outing for the party during the last governorship election in Lagos State came as a surprise to many, who saw it as acceptability of his leadership qualities.

It is, however, not clear if Agbaje will muscle enough courage to come out openly because of the interest of his political father, Bode George, in the race.

Austin Okpara

Like Secondus, Austin Okpara, hails from Rivers State. He was a former Deputy Speaker in the state House of Assembly. It was gathered that Okpara may be his governor’s joker in case his colleagues insist on fresh set of officers to run the party at the party’s national secretariat. Not much is however known about his ability to run a big opposition party like the PDP.

The chairman we want –Stakeholders

Members of the PDP have enumerated the qualities that the next national chairman of their party must possess.

For example, a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Suleiman Abubakar, said that the party needs a leader that has integrity, capability, experience and is universal in thinking. He said, “We need a chairman that will be able to command respect of the majority of members of the party.

“Apart from this, we also need a chairman who is well respected, who has charisma and has a universal reach. With those qualities, he will definitely unite all the factions within the PDP.”

A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Bernard Miko, also shares similar thought, but added that such a man “must be a person of cognate political experience, courage and political will to drive the party along the concept of rule of law and constitutionality in the implementation of the party policies programmes and manifesto.”

On how to curb governors’ perceived excesses, Miko said, “Governors are products of political parties and not otherwise. The next PDP chairman must be electable. 

Governors are government functionaries; political parties form government and not otherwise. Are the governors’ fora organs of the party? What is the percentage of 36 governors or 12 governors to the total membership of one political party in Nigeria?.”

The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, also said that the party needs someone who can unite all factions and be a father figure to all.

He said the ruling All Progressives Congress also needs a formidable opponent to enable it to find its bearings and lead well. Ihedioha said, “Without a formidable opposition, our democracy is in danger. The APC provided that when we were in government. We also need to check its excesses now that the APC is in power.”

The immediate Deputy National Chairman of the party in the South-South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, posited that such a person must be free from corruption allegations.

According to him, such a person must also be a bold leader who can look at the governors eye to eye and tell them where they are wrong.

But the spokesperson for the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said no member of the committee  would vie for any position at the convention.

He said, “So, there’s going to be a level-playing field for all. We will also not print a single form for any of the positions. They must all be contested by interested and qualified persons.”