Less than one year to national elections, Nigerians are again gradually moving into another round of interesting times with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now engulfed in its own internal contradictions.
PDP’s power broker, king maker, godfather, major financier and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has in recent times been engulfed in serious altercations with some of the major actors of the party thereby threatening the unity and cohesion the party needs to wrench back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Since the march to unseat its immediate past National Chairman, Uche Secondus from office to infighting between and among its Governors and top level party chieftains, the story has been the same: mudslinging, calling each other unprintable names, campaigns of calumny, character assassinations on the PDP and its key elected/appointed officials at all levels, the party has been in the eye of the storm.
Recall that Wike, PDP’s reigning godfather single-handedly installed Secondus as Chairman, but later things went sour and he launched a campaign that saw his unceremonius ouster.
The most recent ‘Cup of tea’ for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his malicious and unwarranted attack on his colleague Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state is one of such actions that point to the threat of PDP’s existence. For months now, Wike has been dissipating his energy on attacking Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
Before Obaseki, Wike had attacked other Governors like Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.
Others were Uche Secondus, Raymond Dokpesi, Senator Modu Sherrif, Rotimi Amaechi, Late Othman Danfodio and Dakuku Peterside.
Wike has not spared even Atiku Abubakar who some months back, he was rumoured to be eyeing to be Atiku’s running mate in the build up to 2023 elections.
Also not spared by Wike’s outbursts include President Muhammadu Buhari, Hausa/Fulani and Igbos, among others.
From all indications, Wike is not relenting in his attacks on PDP and other leaders of the country across all the divides towards shredding his party and the country in case he loses out in his schemings to become his party’s Presidential running mate.
Obaseki, while reacting to a scathing attack launched against his Deputy, Phillip Shaibu by Governor Wike, had slammed the Rivers Governor, describing him as a “bully.”
Obaseki’s major grouse since his re-election is that: “members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who defected from the All Progressives Congress, APC in Edo along with him were not happy and do not feel accepted into PDP”.
Do not forget that Obaseki decamped from the APC to PDP just before his re-election and that Governor Wike served as his campaign Director General for his second term.
Describing Obaseki as “a serial betrayer”, Wike added: “I know your cohorts, and I will smoke all of you out”.
Not satisfied with the comments of DG Shaibu during the National PDP Chairman’s visit to Edo recently, Governor Nyesom Wike stated that he would invoke the sanctions of the party and will make sure “they must discipline that deputy governor.”
I strongly believe that all is not well with the PDP as its leaders are consistently and continually washing their dirty linens in public. And i dare say such rantings and war of words by Wike and Obaseki will take their toll on the party as we inch closer to 2023.
Engulfed by crises from all fronts, the once upon a time ruling party is really at the crossroads as its members in high places are at each other’s throat and are all out to drown the party if their selfish ambitions did not materialise.
As 2023 draws closer, we should expect to see more of such attacks and counter attacks including insults, character assassinations and what have you.
The party must fully prepare itself more against in-house distractions than against the ruling party, thereby making it easy for APC to have a swift ride to continue in power in 2023.
Questions well-meaning Nigerians keep asking are: will the war of words between Wike and Obaseki add any political value to themselves, their party and/or the Country? Are they flexing muscles for some sinister or other motives? Why is the National leadership of their party, PDP so mute and aloof to the duo’s exchange of fire ceaselessly? Isn’t the situation giving the party leadership sleepless nights and days?
The recent diatribe between two high ranking members and leaders of PDP may be a hatchet job sponsored by APC or others to give the party a final blow and send it to the grave if their expectations and interests meet brick walls against 2023.
Governor Obaseki had further warned Governor Wike that: “We don’t like to boast, we don’t like to talk too much, but we know where we are coming from.”We are battle-tested, we are not battle-weary.”
The conclusion of most Nigerians is that the silence of the PDP in this situation may be an indication that the Senator Iyorchia Ayu leadership is either a toothless bull dog or it is compromised and so can’t even bark at its members for such actions.
Furthermore, People’s deduction is that the party has surrendered its struggle to come back to power next year and so has silently accepted a free for all atmosphere for members to ‘sow where they can reap’. Only time will tell.
We will continue to, with keen interest, watch the unending drama with Wike and Obaseki as actors before others supporting them join the fray. For sure, PDP is heading to RIP until and unless its leaders act fast and strategically. But certainly time is not on its side.
My conclusion is that Emperor Wike is stylishly working towards destroying the party that has brought him to light first as a Federal Minister of Education and now in his 7th year as Executive Governor of the oil rich state of Rivers.
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