For the leading opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, December 9, 2017 is one important day. It is the day the party holds its national convention.
Without doubt, the actions and inactions of the party at the event which promises to be intriguing are bound to determine its political fortune.
Perhaps, that is why for instance, all hands appeared to be on deck to make the occasion worth the while.
For a party which witnessed a vicissitude that transformed it from a ruling party to an opposition party, it is not surprising that so much frenzy had been expended ahead of the exercise.
Certainly, particularly interesting is the choice of the national chairmanship of the party which will be decided at the convention.
Against the backdrop of the setback the party has suffered since 2015 when it lost the Presidency to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the choice of the national chairman means a lot.
It will determine whether the PDP will bounce back on its feet and claim its lost glory or be buried in the dust of history.
Analysts as well as political chieftains are aware of the consequences of choosing rightly or wrongly.
According to former President Goodluck Jonathan who spoke when he visited Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, “We want to formally elect the officials of the party that will lead the party to the 2019 elections. I am very hopeful that on the 9th of December we will elect our leaders.”
Obviously, the choice of the leadership made at the convention would decide the future of the party.
With the chairmanship zoned to the South of the country, the excitement has been gripping. Prominent members from the part of the country have been up and doing, so to say. Many of them have been falling over one another to clinch the post. And of course, none of them is a push-over. They are all political heavyweight in their own right.
The stiff competition for the post of the national chairmanship of the party is underscored by the fact that some of the candidates have toured the different states of the federation to meet party members, caucuses and big wigs to canvass for support.
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Although few hours to the national convention, he withdrew from the race owing to alleged sale of the post to the highest bidder, Chief Olabode George, who is a former deputy national chairman of the party, was in the race for the post of the national chairman.
As at the time of filing this report, it is not known whether any other contestant has thrown in the towel too.
Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is also in the race. So also is former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja.
Former PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, is also in the race. So is Chief Raymond Dokpesi who owns Raypower and AIT.
Uche Secondus, former deputy national chairman and acting chairman of the party, and former Minister of Education, Tunde Adeniran, are also vying for the post.
A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Taofeek Adedoja and Segun Aderemi are also in the race.
Barring any last minute scheming and shenanigans which may see to the realignment of forces in the different camps, these candidates will slug it out over who occupies the exalted position of the party chairmanship.
Like the post of the chairman, other posts have been zoned and they include the National Deputy Chairman (North); National Secretary (North West); National Publicity Secretary (North Central) and the National Organising Secretary (South East)
Arriving at this juncture has not been a tea party. A fierce battle endured for a long time between the Ali Modu-Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi factions over who the true leader is.
An end was however put to it all with the Supreme Court verdict on July 12, 2017 which declared Makarfi as having the right claim to the leadership of the party.
The verdict was read on behalf of a five-man panel of justices, by Justice Rhodes Vivor.
The decision to have an elective convention was consequently agreed upon at the party’s 76th NEC meeting in Abuja.
The questions many are asking now as the delegates go to the poll to cast their votes is whether PDP will be able to make the right choice.
Many are obviously anxious to see who becomes the chairman of the party and whether he has the magic wand needed to turn around the fortunes of the party that once boasted to be the biggest in Africa.
