BY RICHARD ROMANUS, 25th April 2016
If they is any state chapter of the people's democratic party that must capitalize on the postponement by one week the schedule congresses of the party in resolving its internal differences, is the state chapter of PDP.
This is because judging by the mood and actions of the various chapters of the party across the state, it was evident that the party was heading for self destruction if the exercise had held. The party leadership in its characteristic manner has have cause to tell those who cared to listen that, the state remains a PDP stronghold even in the face of growing opposition in the state. Maybe, it has to be reminded that, the times are quite different now as the party has since loss the federal government to the All Progressive Congress
No matter how the party in the state tries to pretend that it still remains the one big family former Governor Liyel Imoke left behind, it is visible to deaf and audible to the blind that, something urgent needs to be done if the party still wants to remain a family.
From obanliku to akpabuyo chapters of the party, is been either stories of love lost between two once close allies fighting over who controls the machinery of the party in their various domains or same old stories that cost PDP victory at the 2015 general elections like imposition, inpunity, divisions and all other forms of undemocratic practices.
Instead of unite, preparations for the forthcoming congresses has apparently divided members to two different camps. The old generation PDP which is spearheaded by the old faces and names in the party and the new generation PDP comprising mostly Governor Ben Ayade appointees and loyalies whose desperation to seize the party knows no bounds,including sinking the party.
Recently,all stakeholders and political appointees of the party from one of the local government in the southern senatorial district were invited for a meeting to discuss about the forthcoming congresses but surprisingly as I was told and later watched on TV, a former deputy governor, state party chairman, the member house of assembly, the chairman of council and even the chapter chairman of the council were conspicuously missing in that meeting. No matter the explanations anybody may give why these people could not attend such a meeting, it is very obvious all is not well. Now, how will a party that wants to continue to maintain grip of the state leave out such critical stakeholders in any meeting that has to do with the party when it is common knowledge that some of these people have structures that cut across the length and breadth of the state?
In another local government in the central where virtually all the leaders have defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC), the two house of assembly members representing the two state constituencies in the LGA and the Chairman of council are at daggers drawn with a National member from the LGA. With such an ugly trend, one wonders how the party intends to win elections in an election in an area where members waste their energy and resources fighting themselves instead of building a common front against the opposition.
The party must realize that, it has already loss very influential and popular members to the the APC hence the need to put its house together, sit down as one big family and resolve its internal differences. It cannot afford to loss more members.
The governor who is the leader of the party,must show genuine interest in the party by ensuring that the internal differences in the party are reconciled as possible and everybody is carried along whether old or young, abuja based or calabar based.
Furthermore, while I agree that it is not every decision that will always go down well with the generality of the members, continuous dialogue and persuasion remains key if the party is serious about maintaining the state and regaining its loss glory in the country at large.
The leadership of the party must also realize that, the outcome of the congresses will determine how willing the party is, in giving each and every member a level playing ground in the forthcoming local government elections.
Members expect to see a brand new PDP devoid of imposition,impunity and a party where the new generation PDP and the old generation have equal stake. APC in cross river state is real.
The earlier the PDP realize this and start doing things rightly,the better else, the wind of 'CHAIN' sorry CHANGE that blew across the country in the last general elections, will visit cross river state but God forbid!!!
Richard Romanus is a public affairs commentator from oderegha in obubra LGA and a concerned youth of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
