Wike and the exegesis of the PDP crisis

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in an internal conflict since the conduct of the party’s presidential primaries and the emergence of the erstwhile Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the party’s flag bearer. Despite peace overtures, the party’s presidential flagbearer in the forthcoming election and the party hierarchy to resolve the crisis, Wike and […]

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in an internal conflict since the conduct of the party’s presidential primaries and the emergence of the erstwhile Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the party’s flag bearer.

Despite peace overtures, the party’s presidential flagbearer in the forthcoming election and the party hierarchy to resolve the crisis, Wike and his group remained undaunted making impossible demands and provocative statements.

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His belligerent attitude of throwing jabs and fighting everybody who seems to show support and solidarity with Atiku is unbecoming of one who claims to be a democrat and his near impossible conditionality for settlement smacks of arrogance.  

Apparently, Wike has held on stubbornly to his preposterous demands, refusing to bulge in the face of current realities, reason and logic ostensibly on the claim that he remained in the party when others left. I must say that it is selfishness to attempt to destroy the house you ostensibly help to build because you lost out in the primary election and was not chosen as the party’s presidential running mate when you have openly declared after the said primaries that you are not interested in the position.  

Clearly, when I x-rayed the so-called Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) intractable crisis since its presidential primaries in June, I see one of the parties to the conflict acting out a script written by forces from outside of the party. Yes, as an activist and a politician, I understand the dynamics of political intrigues.  

The question we must ask is why is the conflict still lingering in spite of efforts to resolve it? Again, we must not fail to ask about who Wike is working for. Is it the River State people, the people of South-South Nigeria or the hapless Nigerian masses pauperised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) regime’s divisive policies?

From the look of things, he is, directly and indirectly, working for Tinubu. Indeed, it is naïve for him to think that working against the PDP will advance his personal interest. It would certainly be the height of folly for Wike to abandon the PDP where he is highly regarded and consort with the hawks in APC. And it is also extreme foolishness to think that others will take you seriously when you work against the platform you claimed you helped to build.  

If Wike has integrity he will know that working against PDP is not just a betrayal of the party and the Nigerian people but a betrayal of self. Unknown to him, those he thinks that he is standing in for would never trust him in the future. It is always the case – use and dump syndrome.  If he believes that he stood by PDP when others left, then he should hold firm the fort.  

It is unfortunate that Wike has allowed himself to be used apparently forgetting the lessons of history. Nigerian politicians especially the inordinately ambitious ones are known for learning disorder. It is inconceivable for me to think that a politician of the status of Wike could condescend to the level of associating with the APC group after what they have done to the nation.  

The PDP leadership should take the bull by the horn and avoid the pitfall and trap set by the political opponents. While it is desirable to make peace, it is also imperative to show that nobody is indispensable. The interest of the nation, the party and the onerous task of wrestling power from the APC obnoxious regime should be of prime necessity.

The task ahead of PDP now is beyond self-aggrandisement; it is about rescuing the nation to which the hand of every concerned patriotic citizen should be on deck. Governor Nyesom Wike must be reminded in clear terms that whatever power he wields now will atrophy in eight months’ time when he would have joined the league of governors emeritus. 

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed wrote via [email protected]