INEC, PDP Convention And Leading Aspirants

The postponement of the PDP's national convention by INEC recently came as a surprise to keen observers of Nigeria politics. Philip Nyam analyses the issue against the disposition of President Yar'Adua to rule of law, the state of the ruling party and chances of those aspiring to become the next PDP chairman come January 2008.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC recently wedged its sledge hammer on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) forcing the party to shift its national convention earlier slated for December 8, 2007 to January 2008. The decision of INEC to invoke the power conferred on it by the Electoral Acts 2006 against the largest political party in Africa came as a surprise to not a few political watchers.

This was so because during the Obasanjo's era, INEC was seen by many Nigerians as doing the bidding of the then president and perhaps his party, the PDP.

The preferential treatment accorded PDP in the eight years of Chief Obasanjo administration caused a lot of damage and was largely responsible for the flawed elections it conducted in 2003 and 2007 respectively. Of course, the election tribunals have since proved critics of the national electoral body right. The illegal substitution of candidates that characterised the internal workings of PDP was indeed a pain in the neck of our new democracy. People who never contested in the primaries eventually emerged candidates and INEC kept sealed lips to the aberration because the PDP was untouchable.

Thank God for the eccentric PDP leader and president of the country, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, whose belief in the rule of law and due process is within a short time bringing sanity to bear on the system. INEC is gradually coming to terms with the direction of the new government and has started making amends even before the Electoral Reform Committee is yet to come out with its findings and recommendations.

We no longer see an INEC that challenges the verdict of lower tribunals or courts through appeals. It no longer takes up issues with judges, but has become a strong adherent to the principles of rule of law.

It is often said that people gets the leadership they deserve, perhaps, the INEC that existed in the Obasanjo's years was what that administration wanted - a body that could be used to tinker with the wishes of the majority; a body that could be employed to stop opponents and perceived enemies of the government; a body that acted in total disregard to the rule of law and the tenets of an electoral organ in a democratic set up.

Professor Maurice Iwu, chairman of INEC, had always assured Nigerians of his intention to conduct a free, fair and acceptable elections. From what we see in INEC today, Iwu had the intention but may lack the courage of a Professor Henry Nwosu to turn down certain insidious and undemocratic overtures from the government at the time. But with Yar'Adua's servant-leadership style and politics of non interference, Iwu and INEC seems to have regained their confidence and a ray of hope has enveloped the electoral system.

It is only hoped that INEC will not play to the gallery but continue to be firm in its constitutional role, especially the oversight function on political parties in order to entrench internal democracy in the parties. We expect that INEC would work closely and strictly in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2006 until the on-going reforms take root.

Old habits die hard, hence it will be pretty difficult for the PDP to jettisons most of its untoward activities that earned it the notorious reputation for its total disregard to the rule of law. The party had especially between 2003 and 2007 traveled on the path of impunity befriending politics of exclusion, imposition and anointment. The founding fathers were driven away with their vision and the party hijacked by a band of self-conceited and benighted bigots made mess of the country's democracy. Under the rulership of PDP, the nation degenerated to the abyss of autocracy and maladministration.

It must be stated that the Ali's chairmanship of the party and former president Obasanjo disdain for the basic tenets of democratic practice such as the principle of separation of powers and the rule of law was a sore point in the history of the party. Desperate attempts to subsume the independent function of the legislature and the judiciary into the administration of the PDP almost truncated the democratic rule. The National Assembly was whipped into line and the judiciary decimated through incredible and brazen disregard for court orders.

The PDP was a party of "everything goes" as party supremacy metamorphosed into a major dysfunction and Obasanjo ably supported by his die-hard ally, Colonel Ahmadu Ali, deployed unimaginable political weapons and visited mayhem on members of the party, other political parties, Nigerians citizens and the entire democratic experiment. It was a carryover from this jackboot mentality that gave the party the impetus to threate PDP members of the Integrity Group to hands off the N628 million contract scam involving former Speaker Patricia Olubunmi Etteh or face sanctions.
Fortunately, President Yar'Adua's good democratic credentials and exemplary leadership is beginning to wean the PDP. His insistence to restore sanity and golden rule of separation of powers saw to the ouster of Madam Etteh and the election of Hon. Dimeji Bankole as her successor. Even at that, the party attempted to wield the big stick sponsoring a candidate who was disgraced by the representatives that have since asserted their independence from the Wadata Secretariat. The "father of PDP" according to Obasanjo, Lamidi Adedibu was only last week arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate - Court and some of the untouchables are now going under hiding to escape the wrath of the law.

Chairmanship

As the PDP trudged up the hill of redeeming its image and repositioning itself in line with the vision of its founding fathers as being pursued slowly and steadily by President Yar'Adua. In the past, even now that the convention is about two months away, the national chairman would have been known. Today, the status quo has changed and there seems to be a level playing field for all the aspirants.

Although, there are insinuations that the convention may be a battle of sort between Obasanjo and IBB, evidence on ground does not point in that direction judging by what transpired in the House of Representatives recently where Etteh who was fully backed by Obasanjo, Ali, Adedibu and their co-travelers suffered a humiliating defeat in the hands of Integrity Group.

With Yar'Adua as the leader of the party, the likes of IBB and Obasanjo are nothing but paper weight and only the will of the people will triumph at the end of the day. If Yar'Adua, who is the most powerful member of the PDP today has refused to endorsed any particular candidate, one wonders how the so-called godfathers would have the control to intimidate delegates to obey their directives.

What the PDP needs today is a credible and transparent leader that shares the vision of the founding fathers who could join hands together with Yar'Adua to return the party and Nigeria in general to the path of democratic governance. Aspirants laying claim to the power of their godfathers should be shown the way out of the contest. Who are the major aspirants and what are their antecedents?

Anyim Pius Anyim

Former Senate president, Anyim Pius Anyim comes into the race with strong democratic credentials having successfully waded off the president Obasanjo's overbearing hold on the National Assembly. Before he became the Senate president, most political pundits tagged him an Obasanjo creation but he was able to free himself from the dictatorial reins of the former president and carve a niche for himself.

His opponents have argued that he is not a grassroots politician and besides, there is the allegation that he is being sponsored by former military president Ibrahim Babangida to checkmate Obasanjo and re-launch himself into reckoning. This link with IBB seems to be Anyim's albatross as the new order does not accord credence to big names but allows the will of the people to have its way. He may have to prove to the delegates that he is not a lackey of the Minna Hilltop Czar.

Sam Egwu

Immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu is banking on his records as chief executive for eight years. A former university don, Egwu like Anyim is said to be the choice of former president Obasanjo who wants to sustain his hold on the party. Recently, Egwu was reported to have accepted that he is a stooge of Obasanjo and equally accused Pius Anyim and Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu of being in alliance with Ota farmer. Apart from having herculean task of showcasing his achievements as governor for eight years, he may have to explain to the delegates why his aspiration should be tied to Obasanjo, a man most Nigerians are of the view that he had visited hardship on the nation's citizenry. Again, his opponents are quick to point out that he does not respect party's spirit of fairness and justice by daring to contest the 2006 presidential primaries when the position had been zoned to the north.

Frank Ogbuewu

Widely touted to be most experienced among the top contenders to the position having started his political career as a local government chairman. The Nigerian former Ambassador to Greece and one-time Minister of Culture and Tourism under the Obasanjo's administration has said his aspiration is to build internal democracy into the party. To him, politics is not a do-or-die affair and hence would want PDP to emerge victorious at the end of the convention but not an individual.

Unlike his other two contestants from Ebonyi State, Ogbuewu is not linked to any godfather's connection and many see him as a dark horse that would chart a unity course in the post convention era. He too parades good democratic credentials and has been tested having held very important public positions of trust.

His exploits at the culture ministry comes in handy and his insistence to contest the gubernatorial primaries against the party's anointed candidate belies his belief in the will of the people and the power of the majority. As one of the few public officers that served in the Obasanjo administration without a case with the EFCC, Ogbuewu may fit the bill of a chairman that would give the PDP a new lease of life.
Source: http://allafrica.com