A smart politician who doesn’t know when and how to strategize in a fight for what he claims belongs to him, is on a fruitless journey. This is obvious as enough seems not enough for Abu Ibro in the battle to be declared winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 2019 governorship primary in Kogi State. But there is wisdom in knowing when to fight and when not to, as rightly posited by H.B. Moore when the great philosopher wrote, “Fighting for your convictions is important. Knowing when to fight and when to seek peace is wisdom.” This action is scaring peace from the Kogi State chapter of PDP as peace and collective action are the only routes to collecting the stolen mandate.
The intra party legal battle between Abu Ibro and Engr. Musa Wada has just relapsed as Abu Ibro is confirmed to have proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the even-handed judgment of the Appeal Court which pronounced Engr. Musa Wada the rightful winner of the party’s primary election and the legal and authentic PDP flag bearer for the Kogi State 2019 Governorship Election. At this point, it has become an obvious case of attempt to calously frustrate PDP’s efforts at reclaiming the mandate freely given to her by the people of Kogi State in the last governorship election.
In the light of the above, it will be absolutely wrong and disastrous to key into the agenda of the enemies of Kogi State who are bent on ensuring that the good people of the State are continuously denied devidends of democracy. There is therefore, the urgent need to begin to question clandestined activities in Kogi PDP.
Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) who fathered Abu Ibro is also our respected father and the leader of PDP in Kogi State. But recent happenings have tempted to insinuate that war is being waged against the party by those that benefited in ruling Kogi State for good eight years. This action is capable of eroding the contributions to the development of Kogi State. Every sane member of PDP in Kogi State is currently disappointed at these unfortunate events.
Abu Ibro’s action is capable of puncturing the party, which the enemy may quickly take advantage of. It is like declaring war against the entire opposition structure in the State, which is a bad precedent across the country. This must be condemned by all and sundry. The battle for the soul of the PDP is now before the court of public opinion, and we all must rise to rescue the party. It is obvious and very unfortunate that the entire crisis affecting PDP in Kogi State is traceable to this issue, which we must find a lasting solution. Democracy is useless without a sound opposition, hence all Kogites must unite against this ugly development.
The reaction of the BoT Chairman and other NWC Executives and their commitments towards internal party issues in Nasarawa State and other States in Nigeria are in sharp contrast to how the Kogi State PDP issues are being handed by the same national leadership of PDP. This made me pause to ponder over what is going on in Kogi State and why the case looks different in the eyes of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. The NCW is viewed to be paying deaf ears to the degenerating condition of the party in Kogi State and the body language of the national leaders of the party towards this development has become worrisome.
Very recently, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) BoT Chairman, Sen. Walid Jibrin called for the immediate withdrawal of all intra party Court cases in Nasarawa State. The BoT Chairman who is positioned as a father to all the PDP members specifically stated that all aggrieved parties in the State should be brought together through meaningful dialogue and the withdrawal of the Court cases should be followed by lifting of all suspensions to allow leaders and elders of the party reach amicable settlement of the crises.
I want to once again call on the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan and the BoT Chairman, Sen. Walid Jibrin to, as a matter of urgency, call Abu Ibro to order and begin to question certain ungodly happenings in the party as that is the only way we would know that nobody is bigger than the party.
It is also note worthy that the good people of Kogi State are hopeful and counting on PDP to rescue them from the lawlessness perpetrated in the State as that is also the only way the people can feel relieved from the heartless killing of their loved ones by hired thugs in the last election and the hijacking of their State.
USMAN Okai Austin
Written from Abuja.