Looming electoral misfortunes for PDP
No doubt, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is at the moment experiencing a form of political wilderness in both Anambra and Lagos states. In Anambra, the party’s preferred governorship candidate in the 2010 election, Professor Chukwuma Soludo is cutting his political teeth in brutal legal fireworks powered by acrimonious politics the state is famous […]
No doubt, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is at the moment experiencing a form of political wilderness in both Anambra and Lagos states. In Anambra, the party’s preferred governorship candidate in the 2010 election, Professor Chukwuma Soludo is cutting his political teeth in brutal legal fireworks powered by acrimonious politics the state is famous for and he has been shut out of the procedural activities for the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owing to court actions.
Elsewhere in Lagos, the political terminal of the south-west geopolitical zone, one of the party’s godfathers who has spinners and screwdrivers to fix things for the party kissed the dust. He is Chief Olabode George, a man who whiled enormous influence, a scared cow and untouchable personality who determined who gets what, when and how in the PDP was swept away in a judicial tsunami at an Ikeja high court last Tuesday, reducing George whose name resounded loudly in the PDP corridors to a jail bird.
Like a well-scripted tragic plot, the two upsets hit the PDP family below the belt and in serial order leaving no one in doubt of the fact that all is not well with the party that is desperately scheming to take over the mega states of Lagos and Kano.
Aminu Dabo, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority jailed along with George is penciled down by the PDP to run as a running mate to Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso in 2011 in Kano State. Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state, is the PDP’s joker for Kano’s gubernatorial election. With the fall of Dabo, a strong political force in Kano, analysts said is major minus for the PDP.
Also in Sokoto State, the PDP lost a big fish to the judicial tsunami in Lagos. Abdullahi Aminu Tafida, one of the former board members of the NPA who was jailed contested election in Sokoto against Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa but lost and was compensated by the PDP as board member. He joined forces with the Wammako and Shagari to capture the state for the PDP. He is still influential in Sokoto politics. But with his conviction last Tuesday, there is a serious credibility question for the party in the state.
Zanna MaiDeribe holds sway in Borno State. Though not directly involved in politics, he is from the wealthy and famous family of Maideribe in the state. He is said to have bankrolled most of the PDP activities in the past and was still hoped on in 2011, hence another fall for the party in that part of the country. Sule Aliyu is believed to be the only personality who is not linked with PDP fortunes.
With the nullification of Senator Michael Omisore, representing Osun East Senatorial District, a politician who is believed to be a strong force, especially given his antecedents of winning election in prison is certainly another devastating blow for the PDP in the South West.
Some political analysts are even of the opinion that the rule of law is taking a toll on the immediate family of the proponent (PDP), heralding the day of reckoning. Soludo is battling to retain the offer given to him by his party to contest governorship election in Anambra, amidst the battle, his father, Simeon Soludo disappeared and his abductors are asking for N500 million as ransom.
The legal battle that ensued after the PDP handed the flag to him against the wish of over forty other contestants who are now in coalition against him is by no means child’s play. While other political parties are already doing underground campaign and field works, the PDP is yet to know who exactly its flag bearer is.
As if that was not enough trouble for the ruling party, one of its strongest soldiers in charge of the south-west, particularly Lagos, which the party has vowed to take over in 2011, Olabode George is sent to prison and he may be behind the tall wall of Kirikiri during the said election. Others insisted that Bode George will be freed before the 2010 general elections.
Even if by providence he is released before then, he is already a convict, a tag which erodes his credibility to speak for a political party that is desperate to win election. George even without the newly acquired status fought in vain to deliver Lagos to the PDP. How possible could that be now that his trouble is doubled?
George is now a guest in Kirikiri prison with tastefully designed prison regalia’ used to be the eyes and ears of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in the South West and was fondly referred to garrison commander in Lagos. He often talks of military tactics in achieving political ends to the consternation of his critics.
Navy Commodore Olabode George (rtd) in his days, called the shot in Lagos State PDP and was the man who made things happen in the politics of the South-West PDP in his capacity as the then National Deputy Chairman (South) and a man who had the ears and eyes of Chief Obasanjo.
He is arguably the highest profile prisoner in Nigeria at present. He is not only a former Governor; he is the former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP and former Director General of Yar’Adua-Goodluck 2007 Presidential Campaign Organisation.
He accompanied Yar’Adua to the 36 states during the campaign in 2007. He was a familiar voice on the public address system at rallies across the six geopolitical zones. But on Monday, October 26, there was an eclipse that dramatically turned the table against the strong and influential personality, reducing him to a common prisoner. What an end to an era!
George’s journey to Golgotha started when Obasanjo compensated him as one of his foot soldiers after the 1999 election. Obasanjo appointed him chairman of Board of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), a very strong revenue-generating governmental agency. He held the position from 2001 to 2003 and by the time he was removed, a lot of questions were raised on his stewardship which bordered on accountability.
It was not long after his removal that it was reported that about N100 billion disappeared from the coffers of the NPA through phony contracts.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) started nosing around George before the 2007 election following petitions. The Obasanjo administration allegedly swept the findings indicting George under the carpet.
Even when the EFCC started investigating him for financial misdeeds while he was the chairman of the NPA, Obasanjo conferred the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on him.
The embattled George referred to the award in a testimony during his trial. He told the court that the award was a testimony to how well he had served the nation. He stated that “as far as I am concerned, we served the country diligently and I was given an award for this meritorious service. After serving as NPA board chairman, I was given the national honour, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).”
When Obasanjo ceased to be president of the country, George was unmasked, because a new leadership emerged in the PDP and in the presidency. It was learnt that George in a bid to save his neck from the hangman’s noose pitched tent with the new power bloc in the ruling party now led by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Prince Vincent Ogbulafor.
Politics or no politics, the last Tuesday judgment which sent George to prison is suggestive of the fact that the PDP stronghold is crumbling or better still, that things are falling apart in the party. The mood in the party at the moment does not suggest a jolly good ride, but the opposition camps really rolled out drums in the face of the PDP experience in Anambra and Lagos.
For instance, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) hailed the judiciary for the conviction of George for sundry crimes among which were contract splitting, abuse of office and disobedience to lawful order.
The ANPP described the court verdict as “a great victory” for democracy but said it was “too small” given the magnitude of the crime.
Emma Eneukwu, National Publicity secretary of the party, said it was a major breakthrough which he hoped would precipitate the exposition of similar white-collar crimes perpetrated by big-time politicians who held public offices.
“This is a great victory for our country and a great victory for our democracy, as we are gradually liberating ourselves from the strangulation by the authoritarian government led by the PDP for the past 10 years,” the party said.
For the Conference of All Political Parties (CNPP), the verdict was a master stroke which had rejuvenated the comatose war on corruption. CNPP spokesman, Osita Okechukwu, specifically commended Justice Oyewole and hailed the judiciary for the judgment.
He said in a statement that “It is our considered view that the judgment served the cause of justice and most importantly the anti-graft war, which is almost dead. We agree in totality with Justice Oyewole that when public office is abused, the entire populace is assaulted.’’
But the National Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, who is the chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), told journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos that the last had not been heard of the case and chided Nigerians, especially opponents of the ruling party, for celebrating the case, noting that there was always jubilation whenever judgments were against PDP and criticisms when the party wins any case in court.
According to a political scientist with the University of Abuja, Dr Usman Mohammed, the crisis rocking the PDP, especially as regards the erstwhile technocrat turned politician, Professor Soludo and George, the legal dispute over the candidacy of Soludo has a negative implication on the party come 2011.
He said the politics of Anambra State is too `hot’ for cheap charades to take place, that the state has one of the most informed set of politicians and indigenes. “You know that Soludo was not a popular choice of the people of that state but the PDP schemed its way to impose him on the people. If you remember, they initially wanted to use a strategy of using somebody before they decided to hand-pick him.’’
He said even if Soludo had escaped `successfully’ those Anambra politicians, those whose toes were trampled upon would followup the case to a very logical conclusion, adding that even on the seat, he would not have lasted ,the court case would have been heralding his tenure even if he had `won’ .
Dr. Usman affirmed that the political implication of Soludo’s case on the party is enormous. “At the moment, they have lost Anambra State; the people of Anambra State are now viewing their antics as the imposition crusade of an unpopular candidate. This is a state where the likes of Ojukwu hail from. You can only imagine the political pedigree of such a state.
The political scientist noted that the whole scenario is bleak for the ruling PDP as the party’s darling candidate has a lot of awaiting questions to answer.
“Imagine the mess being cleaned up in his former office. Soon, the lawmakers may launch their investigations on his tenure as CBN boss. All these on a gubernatorial candidate are not easy hurdles. They are hurdles that cannot be crossed easily thus these would give the opposition an edge to the government house. As far as Anambra is concerned, it is `finished’ for the PDP ‘’.
On the conviction of Bode George and the attendant effect on the ruling party, he said the conviction is long overdue and seemingly a big blow on the party. Especially when it is viewed vis-à-vis the recent comments of Prince Ogbulafor who reportedly said “we must capture Lagos and Kano states’’.
“Usman said the PDP is banking on George to do some `magic’ for the party in Lagos come 2011. “You know, the man (George) knows some political strategies especially as they affect the South West politics. He is seen as a serious asset for the party. I am telling you that is where some of the party’s top members would be blaming the president for not shielding him. They cannot afford to go to the polls in 2011 without ‘dirty’ actors like him on board. There is an imminent risk of losing the entire South-West, not just Lagos alone.’’
He said with the works of the present Lagos State governor, coupled with the absence of Bode George, losing Lagos is almost a done deal for the PDP.
“You would say I told you, Bode Goerge will be freed before 2011 elections, but via Court of Appeal or whatever name they call it. The party needs the man to deliver the South West,’’ Usman predicted.