In this piece SAMUEL OGIDAN writes on another looming crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asking if its national chair, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu won’t go the way of his predecessor in office
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not new to leadership crisis. Since the inception of the party, it has been one crisis or the other, which had consumed many of its leaders, the recent being its former national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
As if that was not enough, a battle line has again been drawn between some governors on the party’s platform, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the present National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu barely three months in office
With this development, the chances of Mu’azu staying in that position till 2015 general election is very slim, as many have described his leadership style as inimical to the general well-being of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan’s chances of coming out for his second term.
Unlike in the days of yore, it appears that the party wants to change the status quo, where leaders in acting capacity last longer in the positions of leadership than the elected officers. Mu’azu may be used as a case study because, from investigations and the high wire politicking playing out in the party, he may not last in that position. Besides, it was learnt that he may not be confirmed when the party holds its national convention, if it is held at all.
The convention slated for May 17, a PDP source revealed, may be postponed. The reason being that some highly placed stakeholders in the party are beginning to be suspicious that Mu’azu may betray the President if he is confirmed as the party’s national chairman.
Issues with Mu’azu
Mu’azu’s The leadership style appears to be causing some disaffection between him and the NWC members as well as his romance with the past governors. This, in the party circle is been described as an affront, which some governors on the platform of the party, who facilitated his emergence as the PDP boss are quite displeased with.
The romance with the past governors, it was gathered was Mu’azu’s way of creating a support base for himself from among his colleagues with whom he served years back as governor.
A top PDP member disclosed that the PDP governors have been angry that Mu’azu has started deferring and leaning towards his colleagues in Kaduna, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Jigawa, Saminu Turaki, Kebbi, Adamu Aliero, Rivers, Peter Odili, Enugu, Chimaroke Nnamani and Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu on party matters rather than continuing in consultations with them.
The former governor of Bauchi state, as pointed out, had lately demonstrated preference for his colleagues on party matters by deploying Adamu Aliero of Kebbi and Peter Odili of Rivers to conduct the PDP primary elections, which held recently in Osun and Ekiti states respectively.
There are allegations that the PDP Chairman has been standing in the way of free interactions by NWC members with state governors, just as a member confided in our correspondent that the chairman had outlawed any of them from romancing with state governors in the party.
The presidency on the other hand, it was gathered is not comfortable with Mu’azu described as “game changer.” The core think-tank of the presidency is of the opinion that Mu’azu has a personal agenda that he’s pursuing and more so when it was alleged that his kitchen cabinet made up of former minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Aliyu Modibbo and others are not giving the President the respect he deserves.
It was further alleged that Mu’azu has never promoted President Jonathan in all the rallies that the party undertook in some states. A source told our correspondent that all through the rallies, the national chairman has always emphasised the party and has never mentioned Jonathan’s achievements.
On the other hand, some NWC members, it was learnt have been very angry with the way they are being treated by the Chairman. It was gathered that they have been complaining silently that Mu’azu is treating them as if they are his commissioners even on financial issues.
Mu’azu, it was alleged has unilaterally been deciding how the finances of the ruling party should be dispensed without due consultations with national treasurers and auditors. As if that is not enough, it was also alleged that the National Chairman took delivery of funds made available to PDP from different sources and has allegedly not been carrying financial officers of PDP along on how such could be disbursed.
Further to this, the NWC members are bitter that Mu’azu’s style has alienated them and making them to be idle more because he has not cultivated a harmonious working relationship with them.
Because of this development, it was gathered that some of them are paying secret visits to Tukur, insisting that he is still their chairman as he was duly elected and confirmed at the convention that brought him on board.
With all these developments, would the crisis looming in PDP explode before the 2015 general election and if it does, would Nigerians witness the emergence of a new national chairman in the ruling party before the end of this year? These are some of the questions plaguing the minds of many concerned Nigerians at the moment.
With all the accusations and allegations, Mu’azu, since he came on board as the National Chairman has never hid the fact that the party is supreme and as such, has urged members to always respect the party. Not only that, he has been preaching equal right of members in the party, as all have equal right to elective positions if they so qualify, insisting that those seeking for elective positions should go to their people at the grassroots, as the idea of having somebody at the presidency and party national level is no longer tenable.
Mu’azu has also demonstrated his love and dedication for the party and has been going round the country reconciling aggrieved members and also wooing defected members in a bid to bring them back to the fold.
Another noticeable task of the Chairman in the past three months was how the party would come out victorious in 2015, the reason, according to a source, he sent a strong message recently to political office holders when Akwa Ibom chapter of the party visited. He warned that the ruling party will not tolerate arrogant politicians and members who are not focused and lack cool nerves.
“I have told the President that whoever do not remain focused and have no cool nerve cannot belong to this party (PDP). Those who want to abuse me should do so, one day it will be over,” he said.
Mu’azu said that what is paramount for the party now is for the party to win the 2015 presidential election and not engage in bickerings, adding, “I am ready to stoop to conquer. That is the spirit I want to put in us, to remain focused, calm and preserve through anything we are going through in the party. I don’t want anybody to imagine Nigeria without PDP.”
With all these developments, would the crisis looming in PDP explode before the 2015 general election and if it does, would Nigerians witness the emergence of a new national chairman in the ruling party before the end of this year? These are some of the questions plaguing the minds of many concerned Nigerians at the moment.
