The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), ended their meeting in Abuja, Thursday, with the party squandering a historical opportunity to reconcile itself; and in so doing, failed to expand the frontiers of democracy in the country. This is disappointing, coming from a party that claims to be the biggest in Africa and has monopolised power since the inception of the 4th republic in 1999. Few would argue that the PDP has undermined Nigerian democracy because far too much of its “success” contradicts the public interest. Nigerians expected the PDP to showcase its capacity for democratic revival, particularly because NEC tugs at the soul of the party. Rather, this rare opportunity was wasted as the contentious issues (Tukur’s contested leadership, polarized Governors’ Forum, Amaechi’s suspension and crisis at the state party levels) were swept under the carpet in ways that left the PDP in a huge democratic deficit; postponing as it were, the proverbial day or reckoning.
The party fixed July 20, 2013 for the conduct of a special convention to elect persons to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of 20 national officers of the party whose elections were faulted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It also set July 11 for a special congress of the South-West chapter. Meantime, acting officials were appointed to the vacancies pending the elections. At the meeting, Jonathan expressed worry about increasing abuse of public office for personal gain by public office holders. Reviewing the state of the nation’s economy, Jonathan said fixing the economy would take less than five years if people could avoid the temptation to compromise the public interest for personal interests. Beyond the lamentations, he proffered no solutions!
Jonathan’s sermon on patriotism, justice and equality is preposterous when indeed his party has made those principles its principal casualties because of the rapacious devaluation of internal democracy within the PDP and its do-or-die approach to politics. The country is politically heated, given the many battles the presidency is waging against its perceived political enemies. This moment calls for humility and reflection in Aso Rock, and time for the president to admit that their entire strategy has been a huge error of judgment. All of this depends on the simple presumption or delusion that Jonathan is different from the PDP. Is he really different? If he is not, the answer may be considerably worse than the question. Jonathan must find a way through; his is the challenge of vanquishing the vested interests that have taken this nation hostage. But can Jonathan re-invent the PDP? Or better still, can the PDP re-invent itself? The answer depends on who you talk to in the party.
If you are not measuring by an institutional sense of responsibility, the PDP arguably is Nigeria’s most dominant party based on its geographical presence and electoral “victories”. That it has underachieved explains why many who voted for Jonathan swear that they voted for him, not the party. This is an unusual political compliment whose corollary the president cannot ignore: he must demonstrate he is different. If his promises and the expectations of those who gave him their votes are to be realized, Jonathan will either have to distance himself from the party, or dismantle it. If he does not, or if he delays, the PDP as evidence from the Governors’ election is more than capable of dismantling Jonathan himself. Jonathan now has a historic opportunity to begin to dismantle the PDP as we know it. If, as he has loudly proclaimed, he is a transformational president, he has no choice. He must persuade his party to become as nationalistic as it is national, and as responsible as it is bombastic. If Jonathan cannot stamp his authority on his party, even if he wins re-election in 2015, he will continue to remain a lame-duck president; maligned, vilified, disrespected and contemptuously ignored.
When Jonathan was prospecting for votes, he made a lot of promises; the obvious starting point is the rule of law. Every PDP president so far has sworn by the rule of law, but each has been profoundly dishonest about it. For Obasanjo and Yar’Adua, rule of law was a convenient mantra: it made them sound democratically mainstream and contemporary – and therefore appealed to the international community – but the ascendancy of impunity in Nigeria during their years is proof they were simply posturizing. In the full view of the world, Obasanjo protected the likes of Lamidi Adedibu and Tony Anenih as much as Yar’Adua would later James Ibori and Lucky Igbinedion. And just when Nigerians thought Jonathan had hit the lowest ebb in governance capacity, the president himself found a further depth in ignominy with the morally reprehensible pardon he granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. Whenever the national interest has come up against that of the party, the PDP has consistently campaigned for “party unity” and “resolved” the matter in the middle of the night in favour of the party. They call the party a “family.”
To be true to the rule of law, Jonathan must be ready to jeopardize old friendships as well as nurture new enemies. In 2007, Jonathan was compelled only by vociferous Nigerians to declare his assets; he was most reluctant to do so. Can he set preachments aside in favour of personal example? It is the failure of the Nigerian political elite, particularly within the PDP, to accept this burden that is responsible for our national tragedy. The party has consistently misinterpreted power as an entitlement. In many states, PDP governors behave as though they owe nothing either to the law or to the people. This has yielded a situation where, in a country as systematically and persistently looted as ours, the champion offenders continue to thrive. For every Chuba Okadigbo who has been impeached and every Olabode George who has been sacrificed, hundreds of crooks have been having the time of their lives. Their names top federal and state contract awards; they nominate candidates for top appointments; they enjoy top party and national honours. Recall that of all the scandals of the past 12 years, including Halliburton, Wilbros, Siemens, the top suspects have seen no court rooms. Worse still they have metamorphosed into kingmakers, key campaign financiers and presidential confidantes.
What about the war against poverty? Many Nigerians who voted for Jonathan expect him to save them from poverty. Nigerians had thought that the man who wore no shoes to school would think differently about the poor. What about corruption? During Jonathan’s visit to the United States in April 2010, he promised the Obama administration he would tackle corruption head on, yet he has done nothing significant since then. The road ahead will be determined by whether Jonathan has the guts to name and shame corruption, or whether he will opt for glowing descriptions of its shape and colour like OBJ.
To re-invent the PDP, Jonathan must establish goals and high standards and ensure they are not taken hostage by party apparatchiks or institutional crooks. This begs the question: what does it take a leader, so promising at his inauguration, to suddenly drop in popularity and ultimately sentence himself to the dustbin of history? Arrogance, unbridled craze for power, deceptive messianic posturing, vindictiveness, self-conceitedness and the false belief in one’s own infallibility. Ok, what does it take an initially unpopular leader to change the tide of general apathy to his person and warm himself up to the right side of history? Intelligence, sincerity, humility, integrity, leadership, a listening ear and above all; the fear of history’s merciless judgment? In Jonathan’s hands going forward, he has all it takes to make or mar. His case for a second term can only be made with concrete evidence of good governance and service delivery to Nigerians. He can become another graduate of the PDP Academy of Corruption and Indifference, or he can soar as a giant into history by becoming Nigeria’s leader; not just its president. He cannot hide behind excuses.
