SAMUEL OGIDAN examines the challenges beneath the PDP’ s endorsement of President Jonathan, including the probability of a court-room circus by those opposed to the incumbent’s return in 2015
When the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its stakeholders, governors and those that matters in the party endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan and ratified the endorsement at the party National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting recently, no dust was raised until Tuesday last week when those interested in the position were denied the opportunity to pick nomination and expression of interest forms.
Although the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) raised an eyebrow, describing the endorsement as undemocratic, one should expect that because any opposition party would always look for opportunity to take on the ruling party.
The son of Tafawa Balewa, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa and late Abiola’s wife, Prof. Akasoba Zainab Duke-Abiola, were last week Tuesday denied the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms, which has however generated some bad blood within the political circle in the country.
Some political analysts were of the opinion that the forms would have been made available to those who were interested even though the leadership of the party had already endorsed President Jonathan.
But against the directive of the party leadership that President Jonathan would be the sole candidate of the party to avoid any unforeseen circumstance arising from primaries, the duo were already spoiling for showdown with the party.
While Prof. Duke-Abiola, was threatening to go to court, Dr. Balewa on the other hand had said he would exhaust all avenues before taking any further action, but has however not ruled out going to court.
Balewa paid the sum N20 million for nomination form and N2 million for expression of interest form to PDP account at the Zenith bank, while Prof. Abiola paid the some of N2 million as required by the guideline of PDP for female aspirants to Diamond bank.
Balewa had on Tuesday last week explained to journalists that he was told to come back for the form, Prof. Duke-Abiola said she was told in plain words that the party only printed one presidential form, which was for President Jonathan.
Balewa said: “I was told they don’t have the form ready, but I will send my people to the party national secretariat on Thursdayto buy the form.
“We have over 40 million Nigeria signatures that want a change. I went to see the National Secretary and National Organising Secretary and I was told the forms were not ready.
“We have a lot of gubernatorial forms and they are ready and I wonder why presidential forms were not ready even when we are only two.”
Balewa, who was further denied the opportunity to purchase the presidential form, when he came back to PDP national secretariat on Thursday last week, according to his promise, could not hide his disdain and the insult meted out to him by the party leadership.
At a press briefing on Friday last week, he insisted that he would not give up as his right was infringed upon as a member of the party, who was denied the opportunity to be voted for.
According to him, “yesterday was another landmark day for another development in Nigeria, that people have descended so low to deny me the right to vote and be voted for. I paid my money I was not given form and President Jonathan was allowed to pick his form.
“I want that ticket because I know I have a lot to offer Nigerian. I will not leave PDP. I have paid, only I have not be given the form. I will do everything possible the Constitution allowed me. I have started the process in reaching out to the party leadership because the party has internal mechanism to address issues.
“I was told at the party Secretariat that it was only one presidential form that was printed and since I am the first person to pay, the form should be given to me. I am working on a petition. I am going to exhaust everything in the Constitution and if I have to go to court fine. Thing are not to be done with impunity, I will not leave the party.”
Prof. Duke-Abiola on her part was emphatic on the action she will take, adding that she will take the party to court.
She said: “I have paid and I was not given the form and I asked why and they said they only printed one form. The National Organising Secretary and National Chairman of the party told me this. I demanded for the one form and they said I know who the form was printed for, but I told them I don’t know.
“I am not asking for refund of my money. No one on earth can stop me from exercising my right. This is a democratic abomination.
“PDP is full of honourable men, but what we witnessed today is humiliation from PDP. We will meet at the judiciary, I am going to court, you cannot deny the people their right, I will fight to the end.”
With the threat from party members and given the fact that the eligibility of President Jonathan contesting the 2015 was being questioned, would there be litigation before or after the 2015 presidential election, or would the like of Abiola and Balewa retreat and obey the decision of the party in days to come if there is any? Would the leadership of the party apply a tactical manoeuvre to checkmate anything that would otherwise mar the position of the party? 2015 general elections is around the corner and issues would soon been unfolded.
