March 17, (THEWILL) – In the following interview with UKANDI ODEY, Senator Napoleon Bali, a retired Air Vice Marshal who heads the Committee to organise the North Central Zonal Convention of the PDP , gives insights into the subsisting political chemistry of the PDP.
What is happening at the national level of the PDP? With your work in Benue, do you believe the party can endure and come out strong in 2027?
Honestly, if I say I have 100 per cent knowledge of what is happening at the national level, I would be deceiving myself. But I do have a fair understanding of the situation.
The party currently has an acting national chairman who has faced a lot of pressure from different factions. Normally, after an acting chairman steps in, the expectation is for the party to stabilize. However, one thing people must understand is that PDP is not just any party at the national level. It is just that every minor issue concerning the PDP is amplified by the media, making it appear as though the party is on the verge of collapse.
But regardless of what is happening, by the time we hold our national convention – whether in October, November, or December – you will see the PDP reposition itself. Some of the tensions are simply power struggles, with different individuals wanting to control the party. These figures want to dominate the party structure and influence government formation at the national level. The reality is that you cannot just step in and displace those who have been key players for years, no matter the kind of godfather you have.
At the end of the day, I can assure you that all these issues surrounding the acting chairman and other internal matters will be resolved. We lost the last election under circumstances that PDP members are not happy about. But I can tell you that the situation at the national level is not as bad as the media portrays it. I have been an insider.
You have again been appointed to lead a congress organizing committee; and I know you are eager for action. Do you expect this one to be smoother or have similar challenges with your earlier Benue assignment?
We have already conducted our inaugural meeting, and I have set up subcommittees. Everyone is working. Right now, my primary focus is to ensure that the delegates list is properly handled. Those who are eligible to vote must conduct themselves in an orderly manner.
One thing many politicians need to understand is that I believe in fairness. I will not allow anyone to manipulate the process. I am not saying they will try to do so, but in the unlikely event that someone attempts to interfere, I will not accept it. The process must be fair.
By the grace of God, this time around in the North Central Geopolitical Zone, the chairmanship position – which also serves as the Vice Chairman of the National Working Committee – has already been zoned to the FCT. Most of the other positions have also been zoned. However, I have been informally briefed that there are about six or seven positions where no consensus has been reached. For those, we will proceed to an election.
We are planning very well for the congress. We will have tents, and each local government, state, and the FCT will be identified by a specific uniform colour. Only delegates authorized by the National Working Committee – not any other person – will be allowed into the venue. Delegates will be stationed under designated tents, and we will call them in to cast their votes. Once the votes are counted, we will announce the winners. It’s as simple as that.
That is why I pray for Almighty God to grant me the wisdom to ensure fairness. Nothing is greater than truth and fairness – because that is what promotes justice.
You’ve just been given another assignment to head the committee to organize the zonal convention of the PDP in North Central Nigeria. What is your success story or otherwise in Benue State?
Thank you very much. My success story in Benue began when the National Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party called me to go there as the transition chairman and organize an election. One thing I promised myself and the Almighty God was, to be fair to all.
When we arrived, there were issues – there is no doubt about that. We cannot shy away from the fact that, within our own PDP, there were some contending forces. I never knew the division was as deep as it was between former Governor Gabriel Suswam and former Governor Samuel Ortom. For whatever reasons, they had significant disagreements during the congresses, particularly the local government congresses. So, you can imagine. I went in to resolve the local government congresses and organize a state congress. Honestly, it was a big task.
So, how did you approach it?
First of all, when I arrived, even accommodation became a political issue. If you check Benue in terms of hotels, let’s say Hotel Metropolitan. I think – I can’t remember exactly – they said it was linked to Suswam. So, the other forces didn’t want me to stay there. But I made it very clear that my security and safety, as well as that of my team members, were my priority. Most of the members were actually from Benue State – some even from within Makurdi. But about four of us were from outside the state. I insisted that we prioritize security and safety. Since it was a public place, no one could stop us from staying in the best accommodation available.
Whatever arrangements the other side tried to make for my accommodation, I rejected. I personally went to check around and secured a place. Initially, the owner seemed reluctant to accept payment. I made it clear that if they wouldn’t take payment, I would not stay there; and I had already started making alternative arrangements. Even if it meant staying in a different place, we would ensure proper security first of all.
That issue was settled, and I moved on to examine the overall situation. It was extremely violent at first – so violent that, for instance, throughout my time in the military, no one had ever threatened to attack me physically. But the situation deteriorated to that level in Benue.
Now that I had accepted this responsibility, I had two options: either to back out and be blamed for the failure, or to stand firm and fulfil my duty. I chose the latter: I stood firm and ensured that I did the right thing. All complaints that arose, I assured them, would be forwarded to Abuja. But for me, they had to allow me to organize the state congress.
The real crisis began when I eventually released the delegates and congress lists, local government by local government. That was when it turned into a free-for-all situation. But I stood my ground, making it clear that the delegates and congress lists were not generated by me. If anyone had complaints, they should take them to Abuja. That was my advice, and I assured them that was exactly what I would do.
How did you eventually manage the contending forces, and navigate to a safe conclusion of the assignment?
I tried diplomacy, engaged in a lot of discussions, and made contact with key stakeholders. Eventually, they realized I was there for serious work. Both factions, as I mentioned, wanted me to take sides; but I had made up my mind from the beginning that fairness would be my guiding principle. I had promised my Almighty God, myself, and my team members that I would be impartial – and that’s exactly what I did.
The National Working Committee later set a date for us to organize the congress. But then, venue selection became another problem because, for whatever reason, one side appeared to have the security apparatus in Benue on their side.
And, why am I saying this? We secured the first venue, but the police went and sealed it off. We got a second venue, and the same thing happened. Security forces sealed it off. At that point, it became a serious challenge.
So, I contacted the headquarters and tried to speak with the Commissioner of Police, who understood my position. I don’t know who he consulted, but eventually, they allowed us to use the third venue we secured; and they provided police protection. That security presence helped us significantly. It ensured the safety of all the delegates from the various local government areas. I believe there are about 23 local government areas in Benue, and all the delegates came because they had votes to cast. Eventually, the votes were counted, Adaji emerged as the chairman of the state PDP, and I handed over to him and the other executives before leaving Benue.
However, even within the APC in Benue, the divisions are deeper than those in the PDP. Just last week, I read in the papers that the Local Government Election Tribunal had been moved from Benue to Bauchi due to security concerns. So, I want to use this platform to appeal to PDP members in Benue to come together. By the grace of God, in 2027, the PDP will return to power in Benue, even stronger than before the APC took over.
