Since its defeat in the 2015 presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been enmeshed in crisis.
The chain of problems the party has had to battle with could be tied to one cause – the leadership tussle between Ali Modu Sherrif and Ahmed Makarfi.
But with its recent string of victories, the party may be coming back to life. Here is a surmise.
First, the party coasted to victory in Osun state where its candidate – Ademola Adeleke – emerged victorious in a by-election conducted to fill in late Isiaka Adeleke’s vacant seat in the senate. Although, Adeleke defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, his victory, is perhaps, a glimmer of hope for the party in view of the 2019 general election.
Then there is the supreme court verdict of Wednesday that declared Makarfi as the party’s authentic chairman; a verdict which will now put to rest the leadership contention.
Prior to the supreme court judgment, the leadership crisis had thorn the PDP apart.
It worsened because none of the two factions was willing to sheathe its sword and come to a compromise, and some of its members, who refused to pledge their loyalty to Sheriff, who was declared as the chairman of the party by a lower court, left the party.
Even the peace talks initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan became fruitless in the face deep-seated disharmony.
At one of the meetings, Sheriff walked out on the ex-president for not giving him an opportunity to make opening remarks on the occasion.
But all of that is gone now, and hopefully the party would work out a strategy for ensuring sustainable peace.
But with these “victories”, will the party now put its house together ahead of the 2019 election as well as play a strong opposition role? Only time will tell.
0 Comments