PDP: Convention as carnival, launching pad

Since 2015 when it lost power at the centre, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has once again displayed what the party is known for - to organize a carnival-like convention to showcase its splendor, gran­dure, power and beauty that has endeared it to the heart of the people.

The drumming, the danc­ing, the parade and the speeches made by dignitaries were carnival-like displays geared towards achieving one aim, to tell the ruling All Pro­gressive Congress (APC) that the PDP is alive, back and kicking like the proverbial cat with nine lives. According to political watchers, it was also an avenue to tell the APC that all the efforts to destroy the party in the past few months did not succeed.

Not only has the party suc­ceeded in making a mark, but, from the unprecedented crowd that greeted the party non elective convention held on Saturday, the 12th of Au­gust, it exposed the failure of the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) to meet the yearning and the demands of the people after winning the 2015 election and also the fail­ure to fulfill its promises made during its campaigns. This fail­ure has given room to Nigeri­ans, who have been subjected to hunger, poverty, hardship, squalor and depravity in the past two years to crave for al­ternative government. Hence, the unprecedented welcome given to the PDP during the Supreme Court judgment and the party’s convention held on Saturday.

The jubilation, the dance, the drumming and other as­sociated expression at the convention maybe described as a protest on how the ex­pectations of the peoples were dashed by the ruling govern­ment.

While the dignitaries were at the podium giving speeches after speeches, some delegates, friends and others were busy having good time with their carnival-like display of danc­ing and drumming round and within the Eagle Square, Abuja, the venue of the con­vention.

The people were parading and dancing with banners with the inscriptions, Sule Lamido for President, Ayodele Fayose for President, Bala Mo­hammed for governor among other things.

The convention was not without its side attractions. The manner at which people including some security per­sonnel were openly struggling for food, water and drinks when ushers were going round

 with the food revealed the lev­el of hunger in the land. Aside the struggling, some people invaded the canopy where the food, water and drinks were kept to the dismay of those keeping watch over them. This open display of lack may become a weapon for the op­position to weld in the 2019 election, if the ruling party is perceived to continue to run away from its responsibility.

To show that PDP is already tilting towards that direction, almost all the speakers at the convention either cast asper­sion on the APC or told them that the PDP will unseat the party in 2019.

Former President Good­luck Jonathan did not mince his words but boasted that PDP Will take its position in the 2019 election. “Let it be known, in all nooks and crannies of our country, that the PDP is back to claim its rightful place in the affairs of the nation. As we have always done, we are ready to return Nigeria to the path of unity, peace and prosperity.

“The PDP is in deed back to reclaim its prime position as the party to lead Nigeria to greatness. As a human in­stitution we cannot claim perfection, but obviously as a political party, our accom­plishments as at 2015, far out­weigh our shortfalls,” he said.

While praying for Presi­dent Muhammadu Buhari quick recovery, the Chairman of PDP National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Ma­karfi, stressed that PDP vic­tory in 2019 against the APC will be sweeter if the President is on his sound self, adding that the party wants Buhari to be healthy to witness the de­feat of his party at the poll.

At the Saturday conven­tion, Makarfi further prayed that Buhari would remain in office up to 2019 when the APC will be defeated. In atten­dance were the former Presi­dent Jonathan and his former deputy, Namadi Sambo, Gov­ernors Ayodele Fayose, Nye­som Wike, Emmanuel Udom, Ifeanyi Okowa, Darius Ishaku and Dave Umahi of Ekiti, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Taraba and Ebonyi states re­spectively.

Also in attendance were Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Gombe State gov­ernor, Ibrahim Dakwanbo, members of the PDP caucus in the National Assembly in­cluding Senator Theodore Orji and a large number of party stalwarts from across the country.

The Chairman said: “We mean well for our President. We will continue to pray for his full recovery. We want him to be fit and on seat when we will defeat the APC govern­ment come 2019. We will continue to pray for him but that doesn’t mean we will go to sleep. We will work hard to replace the APC government come 2019 God willing.

“Nigerians may wonder, what has PDP got. Well, what are you getting now? Are you not hungry? Are you not job­less? Are you not insecure? My God! Pray for PDP to come back. Kidnapping is part of insecurity and it has spread across the length and breadth of the this country and it’s be­cause of joblessness.”

According to him, the mas­sive turnout at the convention and enthusiasm by Nigerians in the affairs of the opposition party is an indication that the PDP is “government in wait­ing.”

Still feasting on the areas where the ruling APC failed the people, Makarfi said the APC administration has im­poverished Nigerians in the last two years and promised that the PDP will return the country to the path of pros­perity when it regains power in 2019, adding, “there will be no hunger because there will be plenty to eat. There may be plenty in the market but you have zero cash in your pocket. Under PDP, there will be cash in your pocket because you have earned the cash.”

He derided the APC gov­ernment for reneging on its promises and in a veil descrip­tion, cast aspersion on the ruling party trademark, lying, adding that PDP apart from been an organised and disci­plined party is also truthful. “What we say in the day time is what we will say in the af­ternoon. We are prepared. We have seen it all. We have seen it all,” he said.

Fayose took the derision against the ruling party a notch higher, describing the APC as a one chance vehicle that is taking the nation no­where.

The Ekiti state governor and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum was himself at the con­vention ground, displaying what he knows best, dishing out painful strokes against the APC, insisting that “we have been liberated from the hand of the Boko Haram hijackers.”

According to him, Nige­rians entered a “one chance vehicle,” when it voted for the APC in 2015. He, however, promised that the PDP will deliver the country and take over the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock in 2019.

“Nigerians entered one chance. This people there they are power miss road. We en­tered one chance. We will take you out of one change. And give you many chances,” Fay­ose said.

On his part, former Minis­ter of External Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi said the difference between the PDP and the APC is as clear as daylight and night, adding, “you have seen the PDP. You have seen the APC. The difference is clear. The PDP has Board of Trust­ees. The APC does not have Board of Trustee. The PDP is holding a convention . The APC cannot hold a conven­tion. The difference is clear. It is as daylight and night.The PDP has come to reestablish itself.”

The non-elective conven­tion Chairman and Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, while welcoming delegates to the convention, told Nige­rians, who took time to pray for the party during its tra­vail, that the PDP is back with a bang and would not fail or disappoint the people.

“No doubt, the last two years have been the greatest test that our great party has faced. The loss of the 2015 presidential election, the gale of defections that ensued and the leadership crisis that factionalised the party were enough to sink the PDP ship. That the party survived this baptism of fire is an eloquent testimony to the resiliency of its grassroots structure, or­ganisation and appeal.

“Ours is a party firmly an­chored to the grassroots, connected to the people in a unique way that recognises that power truly belongs to the people. We are rebound­ing back. We must realise that there is a champion in each and every one of us in the par­ty and that a collective leader­ship and partnership, resolved to do things right is all that we need to build the strength to recapture power.

“The advantage of our wil­derness experience is that Ni­gerians have had the opportu­nity of experiencing another party govern at the national level. They can now compare and contrast. As leaders we must read the times and take responsibility. We must condi­tion our hearts for a new be­ginning. We must root out the past mistakes and model the right attitudes.

“My dear party leaders and delegates, as we move forth into the next few months firmly resolved that we need to bounce back to power in 2019, we must refuse to get distracted from our mission and priorities. We need to stay the course of our goals with planning, passion, pursuit, partnership and perseverance. We are who we think we are, so we must think the best for ourselves,” the governor said.

Now that the PDP has done its non-elective conven­tion where the tenure of the Caretaker Committee led by Makarfi was extended by four months, in preparation for elective convention, is Nigeri­ans really on the side of PDP? Is Nigerians really tired of APC government, even though the people are crying out against hardship since APC took over affairs of the nation? Has the citizens actually tasted from both side to know the differ­ence? Time they say is the best judge. Nigerians are really waiting to see.