Yesterday, one of the most popular PDP aspirants, who came second in the just concluded Kogi state governorship primary election, filed a suit against the party. He is questioning the considerations that led to the awarding of party’s ticket to Engr. Musa Wada in a primary election which he perceive to be inconclusive.
Abu Ibro, as he is popular known, observed that the refusal of the party to conclude the primary election is a complete attempt to deprive him of the mandate warmly given to him by the party’s delegates and thus refused to accept the outcome of the primary elections.
As tender as this reaction seem, it is not good for the party and for some of us who are gradually accepting that the PDP in Kogi state might lead the state to a successful liberation come 16th November.
In my open letter to Engr Musa Wada, I was careful to note the implications of not making peace and reaching out to Ibrahim Idris and son’s faction on time. I was particular about the need to bring every body – both enemies and friends – under this umbrella if the party and the aspirant wants to clinch victory.
I do not know if it was done and if it was, how early and how well was it done. But however, the party now has spine breaking problem to address in the shortest time and even after the election – yes after the elections!
In as much as we can not question Abubakar Ibrahim’s right to go to court and fight for his mandate, we can question the likely outcome of this action and the inaction of Engr Musa Wada. As a people struggling for the emancipation of the state we know too well that this is not a good omen for our agitation – and while we may not be in haste to condemn this reactions we will not refuse to say it is a possible clog in the wheel of the party’s victory.
First, it has indicated that the PDP stakeholders in Kogi state do not accept the emergence of Engr Musa Wada and are likely not going to work with the aspirant in the election. This on its own spells doom for the aspirant and for the party at large.
Through this reaction it has become clearer to us that the PDP in Kogi state is divided between the Ibrahim Idris faction and the Wada faction which is made up of former Governor Idris Wada and the winner of the party’s primary election, Engr Musa Wada. Aside the well known fact that they are no longer going to support each other, Abu Ibro’s reaction has further heighten the disagreements, increased the tension and worsen the already bad relationship, which is also not good for the party and for both aspirants.
After pulling over 700 votes in the primary election, one can not pretend to the fact that Ibro and son has a strong structure in the party and are still very influential as long as PDP in Kogi state is concerned. What then will happen if those who supported them decide not to give their support to Engr Musa Wada. This will not only be catastrophic but of course, an end of PDP in the state.
Another angle to it is the fact that what ever becomes the response of the court in the course of this case will hitherto lay the foundation for the likely cases the incumbent governor and the ruling party will be making if at the end it loses the election or if Engr Musa Wada decide to go to court to question any form of irregularities after the election.
Although some of us are not members of the PDP but we all understand the implications of this reaction and we call on the party leadership to quickly resolve this issue before it becomes a torn in the flesh of the party, in the flesh of the mandate and in the flesh of our struggle for liberation which is the part some of us solely belongs too.
The party is too fragile to begin to nurse this kind of wound at this point, the party structure is too weak to accommodate this level of disagreements. Such division at this critical stage will not only destroy the party’s chances of liberating the state but will also destroy the remaining structure of the party across the state.
There are many ways to resolve this issue,rather than this step that will jeopardise the hope of the people and also jeopardise the suppose out come of the election.
PDP in Kogi state should please do the needful before things get worst than it is already.
– Jacob Unekwu Agada, the author of EBULEJONU writes from Idah, Kogi state.
