Today, Nigeria does not have a viable opposition party. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which should play that role is presently engulfed in crisis. Leadership crisis as former Borno governor, Ali Modu Sheriff insists that he is the rightful chairman of the party and would hold on to that position until 2018. Every effort at reconciliation has proved abortive. Conflicting judgements by the courts have equally not helped.The reconciliation committee headed by Professor Jerry Gana has not been able to make any headway. The petrel in the entire matter, Sheriff has given an almost impossible conditions for the peacemakers/ reconciliation committee to meet, for peace to reign.
Those opposed to Sheriff claim he is surreptitiously working for the All Progressive Congress (APC) to destabilize the PDP as part of the game plan for 2019. Former Minister and PDP chieftain, Fani Kayode took it a step further when he accused Sheriff of working for President Mohammadu Buhari. The same sentiment was echoed by former PDP governorship candidate in Lagos and contender for the party chair, Jimi Agbaje. The courts, with their conflicting rulings have also been accused of aiding the plan to destabilize PDP. Emeka Ngige (SAN) speaking on the matter said the National Judicial Council (NJC) should call the judges to order, indirectly indicting the judiciary for its role in the matter.
From all indications, majority of party members are opposed to Sheriff’s recalcitrant posture. I now wonder what’s driving the former governor. Let’s assume he has his way and all the courts ruled in his favour to take up the leadership of the PDP, has he ever wondered what the implication would be for him? The implication of such move is that he would be presiding over the affairs of a party with a reluctant followership. Does he not realize that? What would that then avail him? If majority of your comrades say they do not want you, isn’t taking a bow the honourable way out? If they do not want your Solomonic counsel to pilot the affairs of the party, should he not leave them to their own devices and watch by the sideline while they pilot the party affairs to perdition?
Infact, the seeming desperation of Sheriff is lending credence to the argument of those opposed to him that he is an APC mole in the opposition party. Presently an excerpt of an interview granted by Borno governor, Kashim Shettima is trending. In the interview, he described his former boss as a consummate politician with ability to survive in any political terrain and who would eventually destroy the PDP from within.
“He is a very consummate politician who is presiding over a dead horse, and I am absolutely certain that he will see to the total annihilation of the PDP…he can survive in any political terrain. He will certainly find his way and will successfully destroy the PDP to the better glory of the APC”. How does one describe the present action of Sheriff? Is he not tending towards the destruction of PDP with his actions? Should one man be greater than the entire party that does not seem to want him. As much as I am against anybody being denied the opportunity to exercise his rights, if the people whose affairs you want to pilot are saying they do not want you, why not throw in the towel and let them be the loser of what would have been your contribution to the growth of that party.
Indeed, with Sheriff’s present actions, most PDP sympathizer are getting frustrated and unhappy with him and tend to believe what is being said that he is a mole and would be the undertaker of an already fractious party. He would tread the part of respect and statesmanship if buries his ambition for the good of all. The earlier the PDP gets over its problem, the better for the country and even for the ruling party itself as it equally needs the opposition to serve as foil for its action. The present situation where the main opposition party is fighting an “internal war” does not bode well for democracy. The APC should be put on their toes constantly, through constructive criticism. But this would not happen until the opposition party puts its house in order.
What does Sheriff really want?
