KEY POINTS

• PDP will emerge stronger, says PDP’s Olafeso, who pointed at reconciliation and disciplinary committees as steps to party unity.
• Ondo guber election loss caused by APC, INEC’s ‘institutional robbery, vote buying,’ he says.
• Olafeso urges possible coalitions, mergers or amalgamations that will increase the PDP’s capacity to challenge the APC in future elections.

Former National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olorogun Eddy Eniola Olafeso has stated that the party will come out stronger from its current internal crisis.

In an interview, Olafeso also tackles fallout from the recently concluded Ondo State governorship poll, the issue of PDP’s internal crisis and what the party has in return for future polls.

Disunity could not be blamed for the PDP’s loss in the Ondo election, Olafeso dismissed the suggestion. Rather, he blamed institutional failure, and alleged vote buying by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He added that the party also needed to be united, embarking on internal reform, and form coalitions to make a very forceful opposition against APC in the future elections.

A dark moment for democracy

The November 16 Ondo State governorship election was, according to Olafeso, the darkest moment in the history of the state when institutional robbery was being perpetrated by federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He said INEC did not provide a free and fair election, while accusing it of buying votes in a big way.

The darkest moment in our history were the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State. ‘It was an institutional robbery and a robbery of the electoral process,’ he said.

Olafeso also said the PDP would ‘pursue and follow through’ the cause of justice via the judiciary, possibly the ‘last hope of the common man.’ He said he hoped the tribunal would deliver justice and return his ‘stolen mandate.’

Lessons from the defeat

Speaking on the PDP’s loss, Olafeso said Nigerians should be vigilant, united and ready. He said the PDP also knew never to put blind trust in federal institutions that could be susceptible to political manipulation under the APC led Government.

That is why after the lesson we have learnt to say and can boldly tell anybody that you cannot trust federal institutions under APC government, Olafeso said. “We must take precautions, unite and be ready for the new democratic battles’ in order not to let them stay in power for too long.”

Plan of PDP for rebuilding and unity

However, Olafeso painted an optimistic picture of the PDP’s future, saying the party was still working on improving its internal structure. The party’s poor national performance following internal disunity was acknowledged, but rebuilding was under way, he said.

The party had set up two national committees for reconciliation and discipline and he said that is a critical step to regain order in the party. According to Olafeso, the PDP will come out stronger united by sustained efforts.

“I guarantee our party will come out of this crisis stronger,” he promised. For now, we are in two major national committees, the reconciliation and disciplinary committees. I am very convinced that our members will soon or later come to the realization of the need for unity in building a virile and a strong opposition to the APC.

PDP’s strategy for future elections

The PDP would be hard to defeat without coalitions, mergers, and amalgamation with other opposing forces, the party admitted Olafeso. Without broad based unity, it would be difficult to challenge the APC’s dominance, he stated.

So everything must be on the table: coalition, merger, amalgamation. “There is no way the PDP in its present shape can fight and defeat the APC,” he said.

He urged like-minded groups and political forces to form a coalition of like minds to wrestle the APC out of power. He advised that members of the party should cultivate harmony and fairness among themselves in selecting its leaders, saying that no single person is bigger than the party.

Leadership and membership reforms

Also, as not to sweep under the carpet, Olafeso did not shun internal leadership issues of PDP, that’s the Damagum’s resignation governs.

He admitted that all political parties have challenges to deal with, but that the PDP needs to put fairness, justice and equity to the fore in their decision making processes.

Olafeso noted that, ‘No party in the world, even developed parties have challenges, but the BOT, NWC and NEC had better rally and resolve all issues quickly. It’s not about any one of us; the party is bigger than any one of us. ‘I’ve made sacrifices in the past, and others ought to make the same if it means peace and stability within the party,” he added.

Brief analysis of the APC led federal government

Olafeso slammed the APC led federal government as anti people and insensitive to the needs of Nigerians. The issues of inflation, insecurity and high cost of living, he accused the government of ignoring.

He berated the National Assembly for ensuring it did not hold the government to account for its actions, he added that Nigerians became continue to suffer on account of government poor policies.

What I can say is that the present Federal Government is anti people and insensitive. “The people, the welfare of the people, they don’t care about that,” Hall said.

People can’t even afford to pay for food, transport or themselves to access medical care because cost of living has skyrocketed. They won’t have even been able to travel for the Christmas holiday because they just cannot afford it.”

He advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to listen to the people and not to distribute government resources and appointments in favor of some and against others. The APC government needed to show more empathy to avoid deepening the divisions in the country, Olafeso warned.