Enugu: As PDP goes into 2016 Congresses

SINCE the proposed Timelines for the 2016 Chapter Congresses and National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was released, the now opposition party that led Nigeria for 16 years has been filled with activities and trepidation.

One would wonder what is still relevant or interesting in a political party that was recently defeated in a national election, negativelybranded  by the ruling All progressives Congress, APC, succumbed to internal crises since it suffered defeat. But beneath the façade of seeming vain glory of the PDP lays the future potential of a resonating national political party that is even more poised than ever to launch itself back to national conciseness and repossess its lost glory.

It is for this futuristic potential of the PDP that it is presently witnessing an upsurge of interest in the leadership of the party, both at the national and state levels.   One of the states where the appeal and magnet for leadership of the party has attracted attention is in Enugu state.

Enugu is a state where the PDP is a household name, a bold brand and towering image of the best appreciated political party. Evidently, there are enough reasons why the PDP carries a larger than life image in the state. One is that since the return of democracy in 1999, the PDP has dominated the state in winning almost all the elections conducted in the state.

Secondly, the party in state has  delivered  the expected dividends of democracy through outputs, not only in physical infrastructure but also in human empowerment and guarantee of freedom of expressions, which is considered as the hallmark of participatory democracy.

It is also pertinent to recall that  since 1999, it has been difficult for any other political party to  win elections in the state because of the brand of leaders the PDP parades.  Not only has the state produced the President and Deputy Presidents of different assemblies of the Nigerian Senate, they were and are still firebrands that glow with intellectual acumen and rescuers of the nation at precarious times.

It was Senator Ken Nnamani as Senate President who saved the nation from near derail to authoritarianism, despotism and almost actualisation of life rule in the guise of third term agenda in 2006. He was of the PDP stock from Enugu state. Same goes in the present effort of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu at curtailing the excesses of  the APC  at the National Assembly.

Based on the above and more, there is no doubt that there are bound to be concerns on who leads the PDP in Enugu state. While the concerns are good, especially at creating a robust internal party politics, the merit of selecting the best from the poll of interested persons and groups within the state chapter of the party has become one of the vexed issues.

With the advent of the APC,the PDP as an opposition party is becoming more aware of its challenges and the possible consequence of making mistakes in the choice of its party leaders.

As the countdown to Saturday May 7, 2016 state congress of the PDP approaches, more intrigues and horse trading of who becomes the state chairman is unfolding with interesting personas, among whom is Deacon Okey Ogbodo, a-two time commissioner in the state.

Evidently, there is cold war between members of the National Assembly from the state led by Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the state machinery led by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who until he became Governor was a member of the National Assembly for three terms. Both camps are jogging to convert the incoming state leadership to their side to secure it at least for the 2019 elections.

It is not clear if Governor Ugwuanyi has penned down or has his eyes on a particular candidate but some contestants are said to be aligned to Ekweremadu and Senator Gill Nnaji, who are believed to be working together for a common goal. Such chairmanship aspirants include: Dons Ude, Frank Anioma, Steve Oruruo, Chijioke Ugwueze and Jerry Eneh.

Other aspirants whom no one is certain the divide they belong are Deacon Okey Ogbodo, and Enoch Agbo. Ugwueze and Agbo, both from Isi-Uzo LGA however have a problem of having affilation with Nsukka cultural zone, especially since the Enugu East senatorial zone is insisting on giving the position to “Core Nkanu Man.” Particularly, he is said to be of the dismatled Ebeano dynasty which has become a leaper in the state but which Ekweremadu is suspected to be rebuilding.

Distinct from the crowd is Deacon Okey Ogbodo whose edge is not just his  humility but also in his faith and belief that power belongs to God. He is a man of many political parts, who has withered all political storms in the state and is seen as the right man for the job.

Ogbodo is not just a founding member of the PDP by 1998 but has swam with the Party in its many travails.So, experience is also a selling point for him. Prowess in  both executive and political party administrations are selling points for a man needed to unite factors and vagrancies of political shades in the state. he has thisese. At no other time than now does the PDP need a stabiliser and a bridge builder like Ogbodo whose political sojourns in the state makes him a dependable name at moments when delivery is of utmost importance.

Mr. Emma Agbo, a journalist, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.