Over the years the ruling Peoples Democratic Party reigns like a colossus, pervading the landscape of Nigeria with impunity, yet no one seems to see the handwriting on the wall. Decisions taken by the party are always being hailed as sacrosanct and members are so scared to condemn wrongs obliviously been done to democracy. That after 16 years Nigeria’s democracy is stunted is a testimony to this. Those who opposed their anti-democracy policies are seen as enemies of the state and being hounded.
The president of Nigeria as presently constituted is the leader of the ruling party with the acronym, PDP. This is a party that harasses, intimidates and lies to all of us. The press see the dangers but prefer playing to the gallery afterall some do enjoy the pecks from most of their corrupt elected officials including state governors. But at the end democracy suffers and we all go home happy.
Now the All Progressive Party, APC is trying to point out some of these ills and we are happy, with actually doing the needful that is doing things to stamp out these evil tendencies, is party time, even stories on front pages of newspapers are skewed to support the charlatan going in, those who had condemned it do so in a subtle manner as not to offend the masters.
Few years ago, I returned home to take part in the electoral process ahead of 2015, because of my research work and got deeply involved in the politics of Akwa Ibom, met all the key players including the defacto governor and chairman of PDP, Governors’ Forum, Mr. Godawill Akpabio. Having interacted with all the key players in the state, it was easy to know their position on all issues pertaining to the PDP primaries which began on Saturday, November 1, 2014 with the ward congress, which we elected to contest having been registered as a member of the party since 2005 that I started coming home frequently.
On October 28 at exactly 11pm, my daughter woke me up to informed about a press release on the facebook page of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Information, it was difficult to believe such a fb release because normally Olisa Metuh’s press release are normally pasted on the party official website and on its facebook page, but this one was not issued that way.
What happened to Abak Fedral Constituency that is supposed to produce next senator for Ikot Ekpene according to the zoning formulae, we are also awaiting the PDP NWC decision on this oh!
In Delta, Edo, Rivers and almost all the Eastern /South South States there are this issue of zoning of the gubernatorial seat to a particular area or senatorial district or even on ethnic cleavages, but surprisingly the National Working Committee, NWC of the party has not done anything on it. But in the case of Akwa Ibom State, the NWC just jumped gun and decided to foist zoning on them after over 12 aspirants from other zones had picked the gubernatorial forms and paid N11, 000.000Million each, if this is not a fraudulent act, what is?
It is alleged that there have been heavy inducement on the party officials including some at the presidency before the press release was smuggled into the media to cause the tornado which would suck the PDP fortune in the state, if the opposing parties can harnessed their relationship to see the displacement of the major ethnic group in the state in the calculation of the PDP’S deception and make hay while the sun is still shining.
It was already known that in PDP he who pays the most vocal piper leads the chorus, but no one in his wildest imagination expected a day-light robbery as flagrantly displayed by the NWC of the party. Why not give same decision across board to cover even the party leader’s state, Bayelsa that there is zoning confusion too. What a selective ‘injustice’. They should wait for the aftermath of their idiosyncrasy. The majority oppose to it may not make noise like them, but the bubbling inferno is enough to set the ruling party out of the nation’s echelon leadership for good. It is therefore worrisome to think Nigeria can hold credible election in 2015, when in the PDP internal democracy stinks of fraud.
Surprisingly the NWC met on the October 29, but revolving Akwa Ibom State decision was not included in the official press release the same Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh presented to Journalists, and everyone wonders when the NWC met for the Akwa Ibom zoning issue now a controversial matter in the country. Is Goodluck Jonathan ready for another rented crowd when he comes to Akwa Ibom for campaign? Let him say so as leader of the party or a passionate crowd that truly loves him. He will get what he wants with the continued rape of democracy. N500 MILLION bribe being peddled in the state will not help the issue of destroying a state’s democratic psyche. Till election time.
Oh my God parts of the PDP PRESS RELEASE really gave credence to internal democracy and promote democratic ethos? It reads: “Accordingly, the NWC expects that only aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone will present themselves for the governorship primary election in the state.”
“In the spirit of internal democracy, the NWC promises that there will be free, fair and transparent congresses. Aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone are therefore encouraged to fully participate in the process.”
Internal democracy indeed! The party leader and the national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu should tell the whole world if the secretive press release supporting zoning in Akwa Ibom is right or was another palm wine decision after monetary exchange. We are awaiting, don’t blame us if APC becomes dominant party in the state because the truth is not known in Abuja.
Written by Inyang Johnny, Arizona USA; University teacher.
