Posted by Dotun Oladipo on
It will be a gathering of the who-is-who in the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday in Lagos when the party holds what it has termed the mother of all rallies.
It will be a gathering of the who-is-who in the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday in Lagos when the party holds what it has termed the mother of all rallies. The rally, which is to be attended by President Olusegun Obasanjo; the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ahmadu Ali; the PDP's National Deputy Chairman, South, Chief Bode George; the National Vice-Chairman, South-West, Chief Yinka Omilani; the governors of the party in the zone; and other big wigs of the party, is intended to be a re-launch of the party for the battle for the soul of Lagos State in the 2007 general elections.
Though still about two years away, the PDP is already preparing for the 2007 elections. Having failed in its bid during the 2003 general elections to win the state like it did with the other five South-West states of Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Osun, the party has decided to start preparations early enough for the next elections. One of such plans is the re-launch of the party on Saturday.
The Alliance for Democracy has, however, said it will not fold its arms and watch the PDP take over the state. It has also started the mobilisation process towards 2007. The state Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is the arrowhead of the plot to have the party retain control of the state. The party has commenced a process of repositioning that it believes should yield the desired results in the elections. Part of the strategy is to ensure that the various political groups within the party - Justice Forum and Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organisation inclusive - are strengthened for the battle ahead. The groups have been meeting to fine tune strategies for the elections.
But the PDP has set the machinery in motion to ensure that it emerges victorious in 2007. Part of the strategy is Saturday's rally. The party's strategy got a boost recently when George, the former National Vice-Chairman, South-West emerged the Deputy National Chairman. Many believe that with George, a Lagosian, in the saddle as Deputy National Chairman, the confidence of the party members would be bolstered. This is because a lot of the party's members now believe that there are more of such positions in the offing with the strategic position now occupied by George.
However, many are of the opinion that for the party to have a strong footing in Lagos State in the 2007 general elections, it first has to cross the hurdle of producing a state chairman without rancour. Such a candidate for the position of the chairman, a lot of the party members have argued, must be someone who is generally acceptable to the members. The argument is that if the next chairman of the party, expected to emerge in August, is someone who is not widely acceptable within the party, this could scuttle the ambition of the party. So also has the argument been put up that if the process that produces the chairman becomes rancorous, it could lead to the disintegration of the party whose membership has been on the rise with the defection of members of other parties, including the AD.
Owing to this, the leadership of the party has put in place measures to ensure a crisis-free chairmanship election. It was learnt that the leadership of the party has been closely monitoring the activities of the aspirants that have made their intentions known so far with a view to ensuring that there was no acrimony as a result of the election.
So far, five candidates have emerged for the chairmanship seat. Those jostling to replace Alhaji Muritala Ashorobi as chairman include Ashorobi's deputy, Alhaji Semiu Kukoyi; the Vice-Chairman, Lagos West Senatorial District, Chief Olatunji Joseph; the Secretary, Chief Olawale Mogaji; the Treasurer, and Dr. Adesola Taiwo; the running mate of Chief Ganiyu Dawodu on the platform of the Progressives Action Congress for the 2003 gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, Dr. Yomi Finnih; Dr. Obafemi Anibaba and Prince Ademola Sodiq.
Most of the candidates have intimated the leadership of the party about their intention to vie for the chairmanship position. They have written letters of intent, which have been circulated to all party members. Indeed, some of the aspirants have commenced their campaign, though some discreetly. Prominent among those that have commenced campaign are Kukoyi, Mogaji, Anibaba and Finnih.
It was, however, gathered, that the top echelon of the party is more favourably disposed to the emergence of either Finnih or Kukoyi. It was learnt that the leadership has become divided over the issue. While George is reportedly supporting Kukoyi on the one side, the Minister for Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, on the other, is backing Finnih. Both men are said to parade credentials that stand them in good stead for the job. But some other considerations by the two sides led by George and Ogunlewe have led to the division in the party's leadership.
Popularly known as 'a bundle of political energy," Kukoyi has moved round the state, going from ward to ward, to sell his candidature. His contact within the party is reportedly wide. He has been in politics since the Second Republic as a member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria. A right wing politician, Kukoyi was also a member of the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party and the National Republican Convention. Kukoyi is reportedly supported by George who believes that as a committed foundation member of the PDP, he should be given the opportunity to lead the party. A politician of the old stock, Kukoyi is said to be confident of his victory owing to his closeness to George who is believed to have the ears of Obasanjo on any matter.
Indeed, it was learnt that in order to get the much needed leverage for Kukoyi, George has ordered that a political group in the PDP under the tutelage of Ogunlewe, Legacy, should be disbanded. Legacy, put together to showcase the achievements of Obasanjo, is being used as a political platform by those in Ogunlewe's camp. A lot of people believe that the group has caused division within the party.
Some see this development as a minus for Finnih, who is relying on the platform as well as Ogunlewe to realise his ambition. So also have some said that Ogunlewe's support for Finnih could have both positive and negative consequences. Ogunlewe is well connected within the top hierarchy of the party. As a former senator and now a minister, he is believed to have the necessary contacts to make things happen in the party. But some have accused him of not using his position to the benefit of the members of the party in the state who should have given him support in such a situation. Finnih is also regarded as a ‘political prostitute' within the camp of those opposed to his ambition owing to his movement from one party to the other. He started out as a member of the AD. For the 2003 elections, he ran on the ticket of Dawodu under PAC for the gubernatorial race. Shortly after the election, the medical doctor switched over to the PDP.
But to his credit is the fact that he is also well connected in political circles. A philanthropist, Finnih has reportedly touched the lives of Many Lagosians who are not likely to dump him during elections.
For the chairmanship candidates, Saturday's rally will provide a platform for them to showcase their strength in terms of the crowd they can pull to the event. Many believe that since the strength of the party in the state will, to a large extent, be viewed from the capability of its chairman to have a cohesive body, who emerges the chairman will be a big issue.
As such, the thinking is that for a party that is seeking relevance through a rally of this nature, the members will use the opportunity to look out for those who have the required leadership capabilities. As such, at the rally where the party will be all out to launch itself headlong into the 2007 battle, the chairmanship aspirants as well as aspirants for other elective positions will make the best use of the opportunity to sell themselves to party members.
The Punch, Wednesday, 20, July, 2005