“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a product of opposition. Are we not the ones that championed opposition against dictatorship in Nigeria? So, why should we be afraid of opposition now? It is not possible. We don’t see anybody as threat, and not the least, the APC. The party even when registered can never be a threat to the PDP and we have never seen them as such.”
These were the words of the spokesman of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh to dismiss claims that the ruling party feels threatened by the presence of coalition of opposition and works hard to stop the existence of the APC during a chat with him at the party national secretariat. Metuh said: “A party that has no manifesto or master plan on how to change and make Nigeria better is not the type to fear
. I know very well that APC has never at any time addressed Nigerians on how they plan to make the nation better. They are clueless and just bandy the slogan of having the only target of unseating President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP. That is no programme, and I don’t see how such disposition would earn a party the national government.”
Moreover, Metuh assured that the PDP welcomes opposition as that makes democracy more acceptable and competitive. He noted: “It is not enough to be regional champions in the political arena. It is not enough for a party to dominate a particular region or inclination. It is a different platform to be a national party managing Nigeria from the centre. When the APC gets there, they will see what PDP has been going through to sustain the structure of the nation in the past 14 years and appreciate that we are the real champions.
We have been battling with citizens learning the ropes in politics. “After every election, members who feel disgruntled decamp, join forces with the opposition and fight you the more. There could be no worse threat to the structure, stability and focus of a party. But PDP has seen all these and stood these years, so we want others to taste the centre as key players and they will understand that managing the political fate of the nation is beyond mere slogan.”
He also denied any problem with or within the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party with assurance that in the next few months, since the Board of Trustees (BoT) has been reconstituted, PDP national congress will hold. But he also noted that although many have tried so hard to implicate the NEC in the problems of the party especially regarding the selection of candidates for elections, there is little the NEC could do and does not influence the selection of candidates at any level.
“It is not the duty of the NEC to chose candidates for the party. The PDP is guided by a constitution that provides for internal democracy and there is nothing any person or group can do outside that because the constitution stipulates that every candidate must emerge from primary election, and it remains so. The NEC has the duty of abiding by that provision just like any other member. I am assuring Nigerians that in the next general elections or any other before that, all candidates of the party must emerge from party primaries.”
He also dismissed insinuations that the party leadership is out to take revenge against the Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi for allegedly taking positions deemed as being against President Jonathan. “Nobody in the party leadership at the centre plans to victimize Amaechi. There is no reason for that, and we would not like anybody to create that impression that the party does not want him.
I speak to you as the spokesperson of the party and I will say that any day that such is not the policy, either of individuals or the party to work against Governor Amaechi or to make him feel he is no longer wanted in the party. It is erroneous to state that because he remains a great asset to the party. A party that believes in reconciling even estranged members and capturing new members cannot by any means drive out a loyal member who has given his best for the party.”
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