Certainly, elections will hold this year to replace or return all the elected politicians occupying various positions since after the 2011 exercise. And Imo state will not be left out in this ritual.
However, because of the population of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, all eyes are on the party’s activities; whether it will make improvement on its last outing in 2011, or lose more grounds.
In the first place, the selection of party members who will run for various positions is the first task facing the PDP in the state; at least from now to September or October.
Because of the overwhelming presence of the PDP in various political wards in Imo, whoever scales the PDP primaries to grab the ticket, is usually assumed to have assailed 40% of the problem, looking for the rest 60% in the election proper.
Indeed, this is the reason the primaries of the PDP is usually tough. In some cases, it turns out tougher than some main elections. However, as many politicians believe that PDP places them on vantage position to easily win their elections, they pour into the party in a deluge.
For instance, in the last few weeks, Imo PDP has been recording a lot of successes in terms of the caliber of politicians dumping their parties for PDP.
These include fresh politicians, and old PDP members who ran away from the party when they could not realize their ambitions in 2011, and had to pursue their dreams in other political parties.
Therefore, the salient questions are; are these decampments into the PDP by these Bigwigs an advantage or disadvantage to the PDP? Will the party not explode from the seams? Will these new returnees not abscond again as usual to pursue their ambitions if they fail in PDP primaries? Can Imo PDP come out unscathed after the usually volatile primaries?
Now, since, most politicians are joining the PDP for the singular reason of grabbing tickets, surely much pressure will be piled on the party’s primaries. And there will be no primaries without those to vote for the Aspirants. This is where the issue of Delegate elections of 2014 in the PDP becomes a herculean task for the party, aspirants, and would-be delegates.
Meanwhile, it is not yet clear how the delegates will emerge.
What is the current PDP guideline that will facilitate the delegate election? As usual, the party hierarchy is busy tinkering on how the exercise will be a success, while intending aspirants are plotting a way the guidelines would be manipulated to favour them.
In 2011, the delegates were mainly party Executives from the ward levels to the state working committee. But this time around, the amended PDP constitution has whittled down the dominance of the ward Excos, by including them only in the House of Assembly primaries, after which they cease to vote in the exercise.
Introduced now is a three-man delegate from the Wards, who will emerge through an election. And out of this three, must be a woman.
This three will be joined with five LGA party officers; namely chairman, secretary, Woman Leader, Youth Leader and Treasurer.
The number of delegates will also include some other statutory voters, from ex this, ex that. But what will be fiercely a determinant factor is these elected three, which the aspirants would want to influence their emergence in the wards.
But is three elected delegates per ward not a recipe for mayhem and chaos? I ask this question because the number is too small that all the interest groups in the wards will not be recognized and represented.
In some Wards in Imo, three positions cannot accommodate the Bigwigs that come from such wards, therefore in such a scenario who goes, and who leaves?
Let me give an example with my LGA, Ngor Okpala. We have Eleven Wards. But that is not the issue here. The problem is that there are some Wards that are more volatile than the others.
Like in Nguru/Omuowa ward 6. In this Ward are heavy men like Bar Soronadi Njoku, Okenze Sylvester Obinna, Dr Ethelbert Okere, Sir Eustace Eke, Hon Bede Eke, Bar Austin Oguguo, Chief Reginald Amadi and others.
All these people must have vested interest in any of the aspirants and would wish to be delegates. So, who will go and who will not?
Apart from having aspirants of their own, there is this ego thing that is synonymous with Big men.
Therefore, such a scenario as mentioned is bound to replicate itself in most LGAs and Wards in the state.
So, what should be done? The PDP hierarchy should study the situation now and find a way of releasing a delegate election guideline that will accommodate all interest groups in order not to cause implosion within the party that may unleash squabbles that may tear the party apart before even the real political campaigns commence.
Although it is usual for disagreements to arise after such contentious exercises, but the after-effect will be mild if the PDP top echelon be proactive by envisaging danger and nip it in the bud, than allow a problem that can be contained abinition, spiral.
In order to avoid ammegidon, the PDP should try and increase delegates to a reasonable number that will accommodate all political cells in the Wards. It can make it up Ten. It is not act of cowardice by the party , but only adapting to the dynamics of natural change. Politics is all about negotiation and accommodation.
Apart from the pretences from our leaders, real politics is local. Unfortunately, when our politicians get to Abuja they tend to believe that that is where it ends. No, politics is the grassroots, from where each “Big man” blaring sirens in Abuja cam e from.
The day of election, President Jonathan must go back to Otoeke, Bayelsa State, where he registered as a Nigerian, before he was sent to Abuja by the electorate.
Therefore, political wards are the potpourri of politics. This the reason the PDP should not take the delegate election for granted because it may make or mar the party as the real politicking approaches.
And for the party to run away from untold chaos and mayhem that will trail the delegate elections, it should dust the option A4 electoral strategy propounded by Prof Nwosu, in conducting the exercise.
What do I mean? PDP should adopt an open ballot system to check-mate those who see the delegate election as an avenue to milk-dry the Aspirants.
Let Aspirants stand, while their supporters queue behind them. Although open balloting is a primitive system of electing leaders, as voters may be intimidated into voting the wrong choice, but it will eliminate money politics, where electorate collect various sums from different Aspirants only to pocket the monies and vote the highest bidder, whether such an aspirant is good or not.
It has been said in many quarters that because politicians spend too much money on the masses before emerging in elections proper, they assume that their stay in such offices is to recoup the stupendous funds spent in fighting to gain the position. In order words, the poor electorate had to endure for four years while the “Honourable” enjoys the booty alone with his family and friends.
However, from all indications, the Imo electorate have learnt a lot since 1999 and any prospective aspirant taking them for granted is doing so at his or her own peril.
And again, the delegates believe that whatever they get from the aspirants now in form of inducement to vote for them is all they have got, as the politician disappears behind tinted glasses of his armoured vehicle the moment he is sworn-in, except some of them that have milk of human kindness to still reach out to the public.
In the process of selecting new candidates for the 2015 election, PDP should be thorough in this task. A man who is bitten by a Dog is not mad. But if same Dog bites the same man at the some spot again, then he needs his head examined.
The PDP in Imo state is yet to come out from the shock it received in the Imo House of Assembly when five of its members resigned from the party on the day of inaugurating the state legislature.
Till date, the matter has not been exhausted in the court, at least to serve as a deterrent to other treacherous politicians who may be gallivanting around now seeking for PDP’s platform for the 2015 election. What has PDP done to stop the thunder striking a second time?
The party should not lay much emphasis on money, but should chose reasonable men and women who can be counted on when the wave on the sea begins.
PDP should look for real party men. You can notice them when you see them. They are abound from Nwangele to Obowo, from Ngor Okpala to Oguta, Oru to Isu etc.
What happened in the Imo House of Assembly contributed to the present disoriented state of the PDP in Imo that has no arrow head now. Have you wondered how Imo state as a whole would have been now. today had the PDP lawmakers remained in the party to retain the majority party in the Imo legislature?
All manner of characters are coming into the Imo PDP now with their wealths and all. That is not enough.
Imo electorate are getting sophiscated by the day.
PDP will shoot itself on the foot if it files out mediocre candidates and expects Imo electorate to comply. You don’t have a Lionel Messi and file out a Yakubu Aiyegbeni and expect to score goals.
Imo PDP suffered a calamity in 2011 by losing the Governorship election, and yet the party still stands firm with its members intact, including recording new comers.
However, the party should not stretch its luck too far. It is this rosy for the party in Imo because, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of APGA, and now APC believes that only him, family, inlaws and friends can do it. Had he opened his hands wide open, most PDP followers would have since disappeared into his arms.
Therefore, PDP should put its acts together, from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and to the main one; the Governorship. No political party loses Governorship election twice and remains the same again in that state.
Imo PDP was lucky the first time. The second time it may not be, if it misses the Bull’s eye.
