PDP Crisis: Party Bigger Than Any Individual; Will No Longer Tolerate Inordinate Ambition – Seriake Dickson

By Adesina Soyooye

A former two-time Governor of Bayelsa State and, now, the Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, is livid over the crisis rocking his Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

And he warns all those instigating the crisis because of their inordinate ambition to be cautious and/ or ship out.

The shimmering crisis rocking the PDP, which has gradually been losing high profile members, including three State Governors and a BOT member, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, boiled over on Tuesday when seven members of the National Executive Council, NEC, resigned. They cited incompetence on the side of the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, accusing him of not running an inclusive administration. They said he treats them as mere appendages, forgetting that they too have Constituencies to maintain. And, since their election, they alleged, they have had only three meetings with the Chairman and, even those, they said they had to request for them.

The PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Governor Aminu Tambuwal has waded in on Tuesday calling for calm.

And, on Wednesday, the Chairman’s Media Office responded saying that forces who want him out in order to control the party were behind the crisis. With the National election of the Party just a few months away, Secondus wondered what those pushing for a Caretaker Committee for the Party has in mind, and if they really ever meant well for the party.

In a statement later on Wednesday, an angry Dickson asked the National Chairman and the NWC members “To utilise their powers under the constitution to discipline erring members involved in the nefarious plot to destroy the party. PDP is bigger than any individual and should no longer tolerate people with inordinate ambitions to destroy the party which belongs to all Nigerians. People with ambition must know that unless the party is stabilized and strengthened, their ambition will be of no consequence even if they pocket it.

“I call all those behind this crisis not to leave any opening to the APC to exploit with their control of the resources and machinery of Government.”

Dickson knows about the management of such crisis.

As the Bayelsa Governor, he the was Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, and between 2013 and 2020, was the National Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee.

Following is the full text of Senator Dickson’s strongly-worded statement entitled:

PDP CANNOT AFFORD THE GRAVE DANGER OF A CARETAKER COMMITTEE- DICKSON

…ATTEMPT BY A FEW PEOPLE TO HIJACK PARTY WILL LEAD TO IMPLOSION

We have observed for some time the growing tension, recriminations and outright attack on the National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee by some leaders of the party.

One has refrained from making statements because we believe that the party has internal mechanisms and levels of leadership that will handle it and I was infact aware that BOT members, governors and other elders, reconciliation committee, collectively and individually, have been making efforts to resolve some of these disputes and challenges affecting the stability of the party.

As we are all aware, some officers of our party, resigned yesterday and we should thank them for their services but If their resignation is aimed at causing  crisis in  the party then we should all condemn it and those behind it.

By the party’s constitution the appropriate authority, the NWC is empowered to make replacements. I therefore call on the National Chairman and other members of the NWC in accordance with the constitution of the party to immediately make appropriate consultations from the states and zones from which these officers have resigned and forthwith, make those replacements subject to ratification by the NEC.

An emergency NEC meeting should be convened which should take appropriate decisions to stabilize the party. And if there is any member of the working committee who wants to resign, such a person should consider the over all interest of the party and have a rethink. If however, any NWC members goes ahead to resign, the  resignation should be accepted and consultations be made by the Chairman and NWC to fill those positions as temporary vacancies subject to ratification.

The National Chairman and NWC members should utilize their powers under the constitution to discipline erring members involved in the nefarious plot to destroy the party. PDP is bigger than any individual and should no longer tolerate people with inordinate ambitions to destroy the party which belongs to all Nigerians. People with ambition must know that unless the party is stabilized and strengthened, their ambition will be of no consequence even if they pocket it.

If the PDP shrinks from a party for all to a party for a few, it would lose its selling point and many members and leaders will have no option than to review their membership.

We are not a ruling party at the centre. We don’t have the time, resources and mechanisms to resolve problems that will arise from a caretaker committee which will throw up more problems before the party convention and primaries at the centre and across the states.

I caution all those behind this crisis not to leave any opening to the APC to exploit with their control of the resources and machinery of  Government.

We should all learn from the challenge the APC has found itself with the appointment of a caretaker committee which is still unfolding. With only four months to the end of the tenure of the current working committee, it does not make sense to either push for and force a resignation, or to force the appointment of a caretaker committee on a party with officers who have a constitutionally guaranteed tenure.

Furthermore, with only about a year to the nomination of candidates in the light of the ongoing electoral acts amendments bill, it again does not make sense to push a divisive agenda that the party may not have the time resources and mechanism to resolve before the nomination processes and primaries which by their nature are divisive.

Our singular target and focus for now if we are serious, should be to stabilize and strengthen the NWC by supporting it and correcting whatever may be wrong in-house quietly while putting our effort wholly on the task of identifying and selecting credible candidates and ensuring fair primaries.

Our window of opportunity to take over power  in 2023 is fast receding as a result of these self inflicted challenges and the hope that Nigerians have in us as an alternative is fast dimming too unless we pull back from the brinks and do so quickly.

I call on our governors to close ranks and stop the unnecessary battles amongst themselves, support one another and work with other leaders to strengthen and support the party, rather than weakening it.

I am of the view that governors should be supported in their respective states and the party at the national level should not over ride their decisions and judgments but to guide and advice when necessary.

It is a good thing that our governors are all doing well but they should pay the necessary attention to the need consolidate their states in order to be able defeat the APC challenge  in 2023.

I call on the BOT, the National Assembly Caucus of the party, elders and leaders of the party across the country to stahnd with the National chairman and the NWC to prevent the party from this avoidable crisis.

Dickson, a former  two-time Governor of Bayelsa State, now, Senator representing Bayelsa West, was Chairman PDP Reconciliation Committee from 2013 to 2020, and Chairman PDP Governor’s Forum