Most of the governors elected on the platform of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are understood to be plotting to sideline president Goodluck Jonathan in their plan to rebuild the party, owing to his failed re-election bid.
The governors, outgoing and surviving, want to chart a new
course for the party with them in the driving seat.
But they are also disposed to bringing in as many of those
frustrated out by President Jonathan as possible, sources familiar with the
development told The Nation in Abuja yesterday.
Barring any alteration of their plan, the governors are
expected to go full blast from May 29, hijacking the party’s affairs from
President Jonathan whose tenure terminates on that day.
One of those the governors have listed to bring back to the
party under the reformation plan is former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who
shredded his PDP membership card in the run up to the just concluded
presidential election, and publicly campaigned against the President’s return
to office for what he termed below par performance.
Sources said yesterday that Friday’s public castigation of
President Jonathan by Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State for causing the
fall of the PDP from power in the elections, was not a co-incidence.
Aliyu who doubles as Chairman, Northern Governors Forum said
in Minna that President Jonathan and PDP’s defeat in the elections was caused
largely by his failure to keep to the alleged single term agreement he reached
with the North on assumption of office.
Besides, the reformation plan is believed to have informed a
recent meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State attended by Governor Sule Lamido of
Jigawa, ex-Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and others.
“Some PDP governors, ex-governors and party leaders have
started talking on how to revive the party and restore its glory as a
democratic party,” said one source.
“It might involve doing away with the present crop of
leaders in the party to restore the PDP to its pre-1999 era. Some of the
present leaders of the party have been rated as ‘mere usurpers’ because they
have destroyed it.
“One of the issues on the card is how to snatch the party
from the grip of President Jonathan who brought in the present National Working
Committee (NWC) which failed to sustain the party’s winning streak.
“We will not allow any individual to own the party anymore.
Even if you are a former president, you have equal right as any member of the
party. This is what has made the African National Congress (ANC) of South
Africa to survive over the years, including the apartheid period.”
Another source said: “The reformation of PDP might be
pioneered by some of the founding fathers of the party like Chief Ekwueme and
other members of the Board of Trustees of the party.
“It might involve bringing in on board former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar, former national chairmen of the party, ex-governors, past
elected leaders and others who can help to revitalise the party.
“It is going to be a total overhaul of the party from the
grassroots because we realised that we have really lost our goodwill and focus
as a national party.”
Alhaji Atiku has repeatedly said he has no intention
whatsoever to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP.
He has turned down several overtures from the leadership of
the PDP to jump ship including a recent personal visit to his Abuja residence
by President Jonathan.
They are said to have drawn up a revival plan of their own
with President Jonathan as the rallying point.
They are looking up to the incoming governors of Akwa Ibom,
Delta, Rivers states to bankroll the PDP revival project.
Lagos State was in the original plan but that is no longer
possible with the loss of the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje
to the APC candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode .
“Unless these rich states intervene in financing our party,
we may not be able to fully recover,” a member of the NWC said.
He added: “You know we have never been in opposition, it
will be difficult to survive.”
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