National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu
Reading through the aforementioned article authored by Abimbola Adelakun last week in her column offers a very illuminating perspective and as much as it is part of the post-mortem of the just concluded elections, the reality is its striking fingers pointing at the writer (Abimbola Adelakun) as the team-lead in the re-defined face of opposition in the new dispensation. The writer asked a pertinent question and her words are, “Will a political culture where ideology, conviction of words and thoughts, steadfastness in voting records and community engagement be the new opposition slant? Or, will it be the nostrum of brigands as politicians that Nigeria will have?”
Rather sadly, the composition of the present ruling party (the Peoples Democratic Party) lacks the type of women and men who could spearhead the face of the new opposition to the incoming administration judging by the obvious fact that they lack the requisite skill-set to lead the front. It has been 16 years in power and having not prepared a contingency for such an eventuality, the stack realities on the ground shifts the responsibilities to you and me. We will come back to this.
The PDP prides itself as the largest party in Africa and also planned on spending 60 years in power and this apparently gave it the laid-back approach to governance. It lacked anything near responsibility in leadership, embraced impunity as leeches sucks on blood and in a collective outlook, who amongst the lot of them can you point to that offers a respite? The lot of them will retire from active politics; the few remaining would seek redemption perhaps in a newly formed party or alternatively find the APC as a new home. There is so much to being in an opposition and the main driver is leadership with an appeal and I have searched amongst the PDP who has this? There is also the need for funding, a core essential, for a lengthy spell of time and who amongst them can pick the bills? The states still under the dominance of the PDP are far off from the heart-beat/ centre of economic /social and media activities.
If we are to prevent the country from moving towards a one-party state, the onus is on you and me and individuals of like minds to offer ourselves as the face of the new opposition. The civil society has its role in this as well as the entire citizenry. The blunt truth is that the party either survives being a regional party or dies a natural death. I do not hope it ends this way but if it does, it is a deserving way to go.
Adewale-Olasupo Bamgbala,
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