|
PDP and its macabre dance in Bayelsa
State
By
Timi Opokuma
Newsdiaryonline Sat Dec 3,2011
Kawu Baraje:Acting Nationatonal Chairman,PDP
Events in Bayelsa State, in the past two months, have
given the lie to the People’s Democratic Party’s pursuit of
internal democracy and reformation. That the drama is being
staged in the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan has also
cast a doubt on the President’s commitment to electoral reform.
In spite of denials, many people believe that Jonathan has a
hand in the travails of Governor Timipre Sylva.
The Bayelsa episode has no semblance of transparency, which is
the hallmark of Jonathan’s electoral reform and the PDP has not
come out in clear terms to justify the disqualification of
Sylva. Initially, the coast was clear for the governor. The
Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Screening Committee headed by Brig.
Idi Adamu (rtd.) had on October 29, given the governor the
go-ahead to contest the November 19 PDP governorship primaries.
He was even given a certificate with serial number 0000012. But
prior to this exercise, there had been rumours that powerful men
close to the President were uncomfortable with Sylva.
But before Sylva could finish shouting Hosanna, the PDP, in a
manner reminiscent of undemocratic primaries conducted during
Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, set up a governorship appeal
committee headed by a former deputy governor of Ekiti State,
Mrs. Olujimi. Right from the outset, it was obvious that the
committee had a hidden agenda as its workings were shrouded in
secrecy. When it submitted its report to the PDP National
Working Committee (NWC) and the elders of the party, who
eventually withheld the governor’s clearance, it was clear
that it was acting a script.
However, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Kawu Baraje,
in a desperate, but futile move to rationalize the party’s
decision, said the governor had been told the reasons he was
excluded from the governorship primaries. But in a swift
reaction, Sylva’s Chief Press Secretary, Doifie Ola, said “At
no time did Baraje discuss the so-called sins with him (the
governor). We are aware that the PDP national chairman has been
giving different ‘reasons’ to different people on the illegal
exclusion of the governor. But at last, Baraje has exposed the
fact that there was no reason known to law and commonsense for
the exclusion of the governor.” The war of words between the
governor and the PDP leaders is an indication that democracy is
on trial in the party. That the PDP is at a crossroads as far
Bayelsa issue is concerned is an understatement.
Surprisingly, amidst the victimization, Gov. Sylva has remained
unperturbed and rebuffed all attempts to pit him against the
President. “What is clear to me, my supporters, and indeed all
lovers of democracy in our dear country Nigeria,
is that there is a desperate attempt by certain forces to
illegally exclude me from seeking re-election as Governor of
Bayelsa State on the platform of the PDP,” the governor noted in
reaction to the shenanigans of the PDP.
When it became obvious that the leadership of the party could
not protect him from hawks within its fold, the governor headed
for the Federal High Court, on November 16. The court issued
an injunction ordering the PDP not to hold its primaries
scheduled for November 19. In a manner that was only reflective
of its confused state, the party initially said it did not get
the injunction. Later when it swallowed its pride and admitted
that it had received it, the PDP vowed to disobey the court
order.
If anybody had thought that the PDP under Jonathan had
undergone a complete rebirth, such a person must have perished
the thought. Like the PDP, under Jonathan’s godfather, Obasanjo,
the party leaders treated the court order with disdain. The
party’s action negated the President’s self-acclaimed commitment
to the rule of law.
The PDP went ahead to hold the primaries, but thank God, the
Independent National Electoral Commission distanced itself from
the illegality of the party that prides itself as the biggest
in Africa.
The election umpire refused to send its officials to the illegal
primaries, citing the court injunction. The Commissioner in
Charge of Information, Mr. Solomon Soyebi, noted that “INEC is a
law abiding commission and since there is a court order, we will
not do anything that is contrary to the provisions of the law.
We at the commission obey court orders.” But like the proverbial
hunter’s dog that is doomed to get lost, the PDP was not moved
by INEC’s absence. It conducted the primaries, which was a
colossal failure before it even started. It was widely boycotted
by key functionaries as well as lawmakers from the State and the
National Assembly.
Five aspirants -- Christopher Fullpower Enai, Boloubo Orufa,
Fred Korobido Ekiyegha, Austin Febo,
and Francis Amaebi Doukpola -- at a press conference in Yenogoa,
rejected the ward congress that preceded the primaries, where a
member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Henry Dickson, was
declared as winner.
Since the struggle for the soul of Bayelsa started, activities
in the state have been grounded. This has been compounded by the
deployment of troops in the state capital as residents live in
perpetual fear of troops and policemen who take advantage of the
tension in the state to exploit innocent citizens.
Surprisingly, the governor has been receiving support from
unexpected quarters. For instance, the National Secretary of
the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buba Galadima, has
said that the doors of the party are open to embattled governor.
According to Galadima, “The ruling PDP and the Presidency cannot
succeed in portraying to Nigerians and the world that what is
going on in the Bayelsa governorship primaries is an internal
affair of the party. “CPC stands for progress, democracy, human
rights and justice. As an innocent victim of fascism, CPC is
sympathetic to Governor
Sylva and
other victims of PDP’s and the president’s injustice. Our
party’s doors are wide open to all. We are willing to give every
Nigerian a sanctuary against injustice and victimization by the
state,” he said.
Also, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP)
described PDP’s decision as an imposition that was against the
tenets of democracy globally. It said “the power to decide who
represents the party at the polls lies with the members of the
party in the state. The PDP national leadership’s intervention
is unjustifiable and overbearing. We will not sit back and watch
the people suffer. The CNPP will mobilise all its members in
Bayelsa for Sylva. We will ensure that the power to decide who
rules Bayelsa State still lies with the people in the long run.”
By now, the PDP and the hawks that surround Jonathan should know
that it is not only opposition parties that are interested in
what is going on in Bayelsa. Countries which gave Jonathan a
pass mark over the conduct of the April polls are eagerly
waiting to see the epilogue of the drama that started in the
state two months ago. Is the President going back to the vomit
of 2007? That is the billion naira question!
Timi Opokuma writes
from Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
|
