Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have got a new lease of life following the Supreme Court ruling in favour of Ahmed Makarfi -led faction.
The judgement, expectedly, brought to an end over two-year power tussle which had weakened and weighed down the ousted ruling party from providing formidable opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Blueprint speaks to some Nigerians on the party’s prospect in the forthcoming general elections
Chris: Yes, I am confident PDP will make a difference because they would have learnt from their mistakes especially why the lost the election in 2015. The party has what it takes to make the ruling party sit because they appear to still be enjoying their victory at the expense of the common man. See how the prices of goods and services are increasing every day, it is a thug of war for most families to feed not to talk of other expenses and the government just keeps making excuses.
Even though I am disappointed that the PDP after suffering defeat during the 2015 election had to waste two years in power tussle instead of putting its house in order. Gbazama: I am not sure the party will be able to come up and be as strong as it was before because they have too many problems and too many people who have money and want power at all cost. You know that main problem of PDP was issue of imposing and changing candidates. I don’t see the party stopping that because they have many governors, former governors, senators and former senators competing to put their own people and that will be the beginning of their problems again.
I also don’t see the other national chairman who the judgement didn’t favour folding is hands and watching Makarafi succeed. It is what politicians do. He will want his opposition, even if it is within the same party to fail and I understand he has the resources and means to make some people come to his side. Maryam Abubakar: Yes, I think the PDP will do better in 2019 because Nigerians have tasted change and it is not working for most of us, so most people will have to face where they came from o. Also, the other political parties have not been able to do anything even while the PDP was struggling with its internal crisis.
More so the newly registered parties Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have got a new lease of life following the Supreme Court ruling in favour of Ahmed Makarfi -led faction. The judgement, expectedly, brought to an end over two-year power tussle which had weakened and weighed down the ousted ruling party from providing formidable opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Blueprint speaks to some Nigerians on the party’s prospect in the forthcoming general elections. have already started having issues, dissolving its media team, going to the press to say they don’t have a Board of Trustees yet. These are all signs of things to come because if they cannot put their house in order is it Nigeria they can put in order.
The APC is not also doing much better. Almost all the states have faction, which is how PDP problems started because each faction will have primaries and it will become an issue to determine who the party flag bearer is. The truth of the matter is that Nigerian politicians are all the same, irrespective of their party. We the common people need to pray more for our country so that God will give us good leaders and touch the hearts of those that are already in office to know that their power came from God and that they are holding their positions in trust for the people and they will answer to God. Nestor Nweke: I think the party can do a lot even before the elections.
They are lucky the case was resolved on time. You know Nigeria’s judiciary the case could have continued dragging till even after the elections and the party would have been completely finished. Now that the issue of leadership has been settled they need to start putting their house in order by ensuring that they don’t have factions in the states. You know, those who had taken sides during the crisis should be made to come under one umbrella.
They should go back to the drawing board and tell Nigerians what they can offer. For me, I don’t think they should make unreasonable promises. Nigerians don’t trust politicians hence you need to win their trust and I believe if they start now and stop fighting each other they will do better than they did in the last election. Chukwudi Ebele It is a good development because Nigerians are already tired of the APC and its failed promise.
You know many of us had so much expectation from the PDP as a credible opposition given the structure they have on ground. However, the party appeared to have allowed the hurt of their defeat at the 2015 general election make them unable to do anything. For me I believe the Supreme Court was right to give the party to Makarafi because some of us at some point were no longer sure whether the other person had the interest of the party at heart.
We expect that the party will put kits act together, I thank God they have already started and have even expressed readiness to receive, unconditionally, party members who decamped to other parties during the crisis.
It goes without saying that the party has a lot of work to do but given their experience and existing party structure they can make a difference and even take back power as long as the election is free and fair. We must not forget that most of the people in the ruling party were formerly in the PDP and played key roles in ensuring the party won elections through by means possible. And I don’t think they have become born-again-politicians now.
