Fallout of NGF crisis: How to nominate candidates without rancour in PDP, by Anenih
*Says party will not tolerate a divided house
Here are the thoughts of Chief Tony Anenih, Vhairman, PDP Board of Trustees on how the party should proceed regarding nomination of candidates for elections without needless rancour. He also shares his thoughts on the Jonathan administration’s achievements.
Excerpts:
An overview
In recent times, particularly in the media, emphasis seems to have been placed on issues that tend to divide us rather than those that unite us as a party. But I believe that the challenges are temporary and that, at the end, we will come out a stronger and more united party.
I am sure we all realize how important unity is to the development of our great party. If we want to continue to enjoy the solid support of Nigerians, we must show to them that we are deserving of their support. We cannot afford to continue to act unruly, create unnecessary tension in the party with the consequence of heating up the polity, and expect Nigerians to applaud us. Nigerians can only be encouraged to identify with us, if the promotion of harmony, cohesion and development of the party and our nation is topmost on our agenda.
Our role as party leaders
As party leaders, we must collectively commit ourselves, more than ever, to work selflessly and tirelessly, so as to reposition the party. We must seek to promote unity and enforce discipline. Consider the case of the Nigerian Governors Forum where there are now two Chairmen, both members of the PDP. This is an embarrassing situation which must be urgently addressed. The supremacy of the party must be recognized and enforced. The leadership of the party will not tolerate a situation where it will preside over a divided house. If we expect the PDP house to stand the test of time, to withstand and overcome the storms and crises being fuelled by the opposition parties, we must be united, focused, decisive and dedicated to a common cause. We need a strong party. If the party is strong; if there is discipline and if there is reward for hard work and loyalty in the party, our government will be stronger and will not be easily distracted.
As party leaders, we must collectively commit ourselves, more than ever, to work selflessly and tirelessly, so as to reposition the party. We must seek to promote unity and enforce discipline. Consider the case of the Nigerian Governors Forum where there are now two Chairmen, both members of the PDP. This is an embarrassing situation which must be urgently addressed. The supremacy of the party must be recognized and enforced. The leadership of the party will not tolerate a situation where it will preside over a divided house. If we expect the PDP house to stand the test of time, to withstand and overcome the storms and crises being fuelled by the opposition parties, we must be united, focused, decisive and dedicated to a common cause. We need a strong party. If the party is strong; if there is discipline and if there is reward for hard work and loyalty in the party, our government will be stronger and will not be easily distracted.
What BoT is doing
In the last few weeks, members of the BoT have visited a number of PDP-controlled states in pursuit of reconciliation. There are four more states to visit. During these visits, we had frank discussions with our state governors and other party leaders. It is true that some governors have complaints against the leadership of the party. So also have there been some complaints against the governors. In any case, the problems raised are not insurmountable, as the party leadership is already working hard to resolve them. the end of our tour of the states, which will end soon, we will collate the reports of our reconciliation efforts, including appropriate recommendations, and submit to Mr. President, for all the issues identified to be holistically addressed.
In the last few weeks, members of the BoT have visited a number of PDP-controlled states in pursuit of reconciliation. There are four more states to visit. During these visits, we had frank discussions with our state governors and other party leaders. It is true that some governors have complaints against the leadership of the party. So also have there been some complaints against the governors. In any case, the problems raised are not insurmountable, as the party leadership is already working hard to resolve them. the end of our tour of the states, which will end soon, we will collate the reports of our reconciliation efforts, including appropriate recommendations, and submit to Mr. President, for all the issues identified to be holistically addressed.
Anenih and Jonathan
The need to carry party members along
Communication between leaders and followers is a very important instrument of peace. Followers deserve to be carried along in governance and party affairs. It is, therefore, our duty as leaders to work out how best to do this and partake in the enterprise of charting a course that will bring maximum benefit to our party and our nation, especially now that 2015 elections are already in our national consciousness. Nigerians and the global community will judge our party and government by our performance in office at all levels.
Communication between leaders and followers is a very important instrument of peace. Followers deserve to be carried along in governance and party affairs. It is, therefore, our duty as leaders to work out how best to do this and partake in the enterprise of charting a course that will bring maximum benefit to our party and our nation, especially now that 2015 elections are already in our national consciousness. Nigerians and the global community will judge our party and government by our performance in office at all levels.
Understanding the emergence of President Jonathan
We all know too well that when, by circumstances beyond our control, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became the President of Nigeria on May 6, 2010, and was later officially inaugurated on May 29, 2011, after his victory at the general elections, the situation in many sectors of our socio-economic life was very challenging, to say the least. The power sector was at the edge of a crisis, with power generation hovering below 2,000 megawatts. Most of the key roads in Nigeria were almost impassable. The railway was still immobile; schools and health facilities were in total decay, while agriculture was in the throes of neglect.
We all know too well that when, by circumstances beyond our control, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became the President of Nigeria on May 6, 2010, and was later officially inaugurated on May 29, 2011, after his victory at the general elections, the situation in many sectors of our socio-economic life was very challenging, to say the least. The power sector was at the edge of a crisis, with power generation hovering below 2,000 megawatts. Most of the key roads in Nigeria were almost impassable. The railway was still immobile; schools and health facilities were in total decay, while agriculture was in the throes of neglect.
What the Jonathan administration has achieved
Today, the Transformation Agenda is already yielding great and beneficial fruits: the power situation has improved largely because of decisive and diligent implementation of power sector reforms and massive injection of new facilities as well as rehabilitation of old ones. The railway is now up and running with the Lagos–Kano track of 700 kilometers as the flagship of this renaissance; most of the dilapidated roads which the administration inherited have been rehabilitated or reconstructed while new ones have either been completed or are near completion; so also has there been improvement in water transportation; agriculture has become a major contributor to the nation’s GDP and a veritable source of massive employment. Under this administration, the changes in the aviation sector have been quite remarkable. The rehabilitation of terminals across the country, have transformed our airports into world-class standards.
Today, the Transformation Agenda is already yielding great and beneficial fruits: the power situation has improved largely because of decisive and diligent implementation of power sector reforms and massive injection of new facilities as well as rehabilitation of old ones. The railway is now up and running with the Lagos–Kano track of 700 kilometers as the flagship of this renaissance; most of the dilapidated roads which the administration inherited have been rehabilitated or reconstructed while new ones have either been completed or are near completion; so also has there been improvement in water transportation; agriculture has become a major contributor to the nation’s GDP and a veritable source of massive employment. Under this administration, the changes in the aviation sector have been quite remarkable. The rehabilitation of terminals across the country, have transformed our airports into world-class standards.
Also impressive and worthy of commendation are the administration’s policies and programmes for women, youths and other vulnerable Nigerians. With programmes such as the U-Win, Sure-P and Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), the Jonathan administration has radically expanded access to wealth creation for these categories of Nigerians. History will surely be kind to President Jonathan as the first Nigerian President to give Women more than 30% of the positions available in the Federal Council of Ministers.
With the focused leadership and renovative programmes of this administration, it is not surprising that the Nigerian economy has grown in leaps and bounds in the last two years. With an average growth rate of 6.5%, Nigeria has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world and one of the most favourable investment destinations. The increasing potentials of the Nigerian economy are a product of sound financial management and, without any doubt, the credit goes to the PDP-led Government.
It is remarkable that all these achievements have taken place in spite of the enormous security challenges which the Jonathan administration has been confronting. The Boko Haram insurgency is clearly the most serious security threat to our country since the Nigerian civil war. And, the administration has managed it well. Since the insurgency, government has remained calm, focused and determined in the face of this enormous problem and, I dare say, it has overcome. We all have faith that the declaration of a state of emergency in three north-eastern states would lead to the extermination of insurgency and terror in our country.
We must not forget the critical role which the PDP has played and continues to play in sustaining Nigeria’s unity. Today, ours is the only national party in Nigeria with its members spread across all the nooks and crannies of the country. We, therefore, have a strategic obligation to put our house in order so as to sustain the peace which we have enjoyed in the last 14 years.
Stop negative profiling of Jonathan
I have said it, over and again, that there is a persistent negative profiling of the administration of President Jonathan. The opposition has been relentless in churning out damaging propaganda about this administration for the purpose of destabilizing it. It is sad that a few members of our party are accomplices of this evil mechanization. I enjoin all of us to assist in promoting the policies and projects of the Jonathan administration. Our historical and political experience demands that we give President Jonathan the maximum cooperation to succeed in transforming this country into a stable and prosperous industrial nation. If we do not cherish and sell our good product, nobody will help us to sell it. We must rally round and unite behind our President in the task of nation-building.
I have said it, over and again, that there is a persistent negative profiling of the administration of President Jonathan. The opposition has been relentless in churning out damaging propaganda about this administration for the purpose of destabilizing it. It is sad that a few members of our party are accomplices of this evil mechanization. I enjoin all of us to assist in promoting the policies and projects of the Jonathan administration. Our historical and political experience demands that we give President Jonathan the maximum cooperation to succeed in transforming this country into a stable and prosperous industrial nation. If we do not cherish and sell our good product, nobody will help us to sell it. We must rally round and unite behind our President in the task of nation-building.
Since this gathering is all-embracing and fully representative of our party membership nationwide, I would like to repeat what I said in Asaba about our party primaries. I did say that, over the years, our primaries have been the most serious sources of rancour and disunity in our ranks, and, that we usually invest so much resources and energy fighting ourselves in the primaries that should have gone into the larger battle against our political rivals. I had admonished that we could not continue this tradition of internal warfare and hope that we would have enough energy left to win elections.
How to nominate candidates without rancour
Consequently, I proposed that “we must evolve a new system of selecting our flag-bearers at the presidential and governorship levels that would preserve our unity and reserve our energy and resources for the greater battle for political power”. Soon after my address, I read in the media the positive reception and reactions to my proposition by some of our members who believed that one of the ways to do that should be the granting of automatic tickets to sitting presidents and governors who are seeking their second term. I concur with them, provided that the sitting presidents and governors must have performed creditably with tangible results. The same may apply to performing members of the National Assembly although they enjoy indefinite number of terms. The proposed arrangement would, I believe, help to forestall frictions and acrimony in the nomination process, in the overall interest of our party and the nation.
Consequently, I proposed that “we must evolve a new system of selecting our flag-bearers at the presidential and governorship levels that would preserve our unity and reserve our energy and resources for the greater battle for political power”. Soon after my address, I read in the media the positive reception and reactions to my proposition by some of our members who believed that one of the ways to do that should be the granting of automatic tickets to sitting presidents and governors who are seeking their second term. I concur with them, provided that the sitting presidents and governors must have performed creditably with tangible results. The same may apply to performing members of the National Assembly although they enjoy indefinite number of terms. The proposed arrangement would, I believe, help to forestall frictions and acrimony in the nomination process, in the overall interest of our party and the nation.
Let us appreciate Jonathan for his good works
Listening to reports of Ministers of various sectors at the Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre, I felt proud that Nigerians have not been disappointed by this administration. Fulfilled by his own achievements, President Jonathan confidently asked Nigerians to develop their own criteria in judging his performance during the last two years.
Listening to reports of Ministers of various sectors at the Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre, I felt proud that Nigerians have not been disappointed by this administration. Fulfilled by his own achievements, President Jonathan confidently asked Nigerians to develop their own criteria in judging his performance during the last two years.
I do not see anything wrong, if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the President and its Governors who have performed well and are seeking for a second term. It is my view that with the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the areas of Power, Rail and Water Transportation, Road Construction, Aviation Reforms, Education, Agriculture, Job Creation, etc., the party should not find it difficult in granting him the opportunity to serve a second term, if he so desires.
As our party moves on in the next two years of President Jonathan’s first tenure, I urge that we all renew our determination to make this nation great and prosperous. We must not be distracted by the antics of the opposition parties which have, in the past two years, shown that their understanding of being in opposition is to shoot down any policies or programmes of government, no matter how laudable.
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