PDP Crisis: Anenih says Muazu, others must resign
FOLLOWING the abysmal performance of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where it was defeated by the All Progressives Congress, APC during the March 28 Presidential election after sixteen years in government, the Alhaji Adamu Muazu led National Working Committee has been asked to resign honourably as the way forward for the party now.In a statement yesterday by PDP Pioneer National Woman leader and member, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Iyom Josephine Anenih, and made available to Africt-tv24 said that the party should
not at the moment think of reclaimimg power, just as she stressed that the PDP should first reclaim itself from the woeful defeat before planning for any election.
Anenih who also blamed the Board of Trustees, BoT of the party for failing to play its role as the conscience of the party , said that what the party requires at the moment in its present status of opposition was a major policy review, adding that there must be party supremacy as no governor, minister was bigger than the party.
She said, “The instinct to focus on reclaiming power is a false, unproductive one. Let us reclaim our identity first, and articulate our vision for the future before any thought can be given to the pursuit of power. The Party must be supreme and higher than ALL elected officials and their self serving interests. We must embrace the fact that The Party is bigger than the President, Governors, Senators, Representatives, and Ministers. If we can do this, we may have lost an election but we will find that we have once again found the Soul of a Great, truly Nigerian Party.”
The former Minister of Women Affairs said in a statement titled, ” Put the party first, said, “I have watched with a heavy heart the slow but almost certain destruction of our great Party under the knives and axes of those entrusted with its care. One would have thought the recent heavy losses the PDP suffered at the Presidential, National Assembly, Gubernatorial and State Assemblies would be reason enough for quiet introspection, but instead our Party leaders – having failed to defeat the APC – have turned to cannibals intent on devouring their own.
“The strength of a country in a nascent democracy such as ours is defined by the quality of the Opposition and the depth and maturity of political discourse, not just by the party in power. Yes, we have suffered a great defeat, but within this loss lies the opportunity to rediscover what made us great in the first place. The truth is that the PDP has lost its identity, we buried it beneath the hubris and vanity that comes with unrestrained power. We boasted we would rule for 60 years; we claimed no vacancy exists in Aso Rock. How wrong we were. We have been humbled by Nigerians who trooped to their polling units and chose to follow another path.
“In our humility, we must learn that as politicians we serve the people. The PDP, and those who want to see it recover from this near fatal defeat, need to do three things, quickly: The PDP needs a major policy review. The framework and thrust of the review should be geared towards an ideology anchored on developing and sustaining an egalitarian society that provides the simple things, to everyone: health, food, shelter, education, jobs.
” The National Chairman and the NWC have to resign. Not because any godfather or governor is demanding that they do, but because it is the right and honourable thing. We have just emerged from the elections with the worst results we have ever recorded. The Chairman is the leader of the Party; he took the PDP into the General Elections and now, as a matter of principle, he must step aside for others to conduct an audit of the defeat he oversaw. It pains me to say this, because I know Adamu Muazu on a personal level. He is a fine gentleman and one of the few politicians who is compassionate and truly cares about the lives of those less privileged than themselves. Events and personalities conspired to sabotage the blueprint he had developed for the Party. Life is hardly ever fair, but we must start to hold ourselves responsible and accountable for everything placed in our care. So I call on Muazu, my respected friend, to resign. As a member of the Board of Trustees, I think the PDP BOT also failed to live up to its responsibility as the Conscience of the Party. Where was the BOT’s voice when our Primaries were being rigged and we were losing disgruntled members to other Parties? Where was the BOT when our leaders were PUBLICLY asking people to vote for other parties in all elections apart from the Presidential election?
” Finally, we need to realize that our constituency now includes millions of young, upwardly mobile Nigerians who want to have more of a say in how their country is run. We can provide them with the platform. We need to restructure our Party if we are to survive as a credible Opposition Party. I believe we can only do so if we tap into the limitless energy, creativity, and passion of young Nigerians.”
