Former chairman of Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of the conveners of Coalition of True Imo PDP Democrats, Dr. Alex Obi, harps on the need for dialogue with the party hierarchy on zoning, using the coalition as a platform to ensure compliance, in this interview with Assistant Editor (South East), CHRISTIAN NWOKOCHA
Taking Imo PDP coalition to the ward level
That launching was our first outing. It was to tell people that we are now better organised. The people who attended that launch were drawn from various local government areas and we challenged them to carry the message back to every local government, ward, nook and cranny of the state. We will not rest until those at the villages, communities and wards are seen to have understood why the coalition was launched.
This is the time to reform and make a change. We are leaving out our old ways of doing things that led us into abysmal failure. We must return this party to the people just as the name – Peoples Democratic Party – implies. Imo PDP leaders came with several ambitions and began to manipulate the process against the people’s wish. People’s right to select or nominate candidates for general election was disregarded in our party. This, to a great extent, led to the PDP problems nationwide. In the forthcoming congresses, we must allow the people to determine who leads them in the party as officers of the party; the people who can summon them for meetings and they will attend. These must be officers they can trust. We all know in our respective villages and communities how to choose leaders, and where they must come from in line with the much needed equity.
We must respect zoning formula to avert anarchy within the system. The system will no longer be hijacked from up again. The process of electing whoever into office must start with the people. This forthcoming congress is offering us the opportunity to be more democratic than ever and move the party forward. We must not fail the people again.
Zoning governorship slot, an issue
Contentious issues like the governorship should be zoned now that election is not the real issue. As we are talking about the party offices being zoned, the same way we would want the governorship zoned; break the zoning down into three geo-political zones and let us know on time which zone that should produce the governorship candidate within PDP. We should define zones that should produce party officers from state to ward level. That of the governorship is proper now, otherwise we are heading for another failure.
To avert another failure in 2019, we came up with the coalition which, in my opinion, will address some of the issues bothering the party. These things must not be done close to the electioneering period.
Our national party has even zoned the president to the North and vice president to the South. The arrogation of party leadership by the elected persons in the state will no longer be tolerated. We no longer want a situation where people like Hope Uzodinma will begin to think that being the highest office holder as senator makes him the party leader. In the party’s constitution, there is no such provision for people like him. At best, they are the beneficiaries of the party and should remain senators. We will not allow him pocket the party structure again which led to many ugly manipulations resulting in our failure both as party and individual contestants at various electoral levels. He held all the political structures in his zone and closed doors against every other person in Orlu zone. All those manoeuvers killed the party at various levels. We will resist them now. The party cannot continue to fail, due to manipulations.
Zone to present governorship candidate
I am one of the conveners of the PDP Coalition and my view on this does not matter for now. We want a situation where we will sit down and discuss it and harmonise all interests in the interest of all party members across the state. Coalition wants everything defined now. The issue is not about Dr. Alex Obi and his views; it is the wish of the Imo people and that of our political party early enough.
These are the winning ways and the only way internal democracy will be improved upon and to avoid crisis. All senatorial zones will be willing to advance their respective positions, and we will look at submissions and find the most equitable way to resolve. Our position in the coalition was informed by our past experiences.
That is why we are calling for things to be streamlined now. I am happy that the national body of PDP has set the ball rolling. Already, we were told that Hope Uzodinma is positioning for governorship in 2019. So you can see the level of crisis the whole thing is likely to generate if we wait till 2019. We should be able to discuss all the zonal political interests now. If what the people say is true that Uzodinma wants to be PDP candidate for 2019, surely you don’t expect Okigwe and Owerri zones to fold their arms and watch.
So you can see that we are already heading for serious crisis. These are problems the Coalition has come to solve. Instead of allowing rumour to thrive, let’s sit down and talk. Senator Uzodinma may have reasons he wants to be governor in 2019, but it is important we discuss them and allow equity to have its way.
Party leadership, recurrent problem for PDP
I have read the party’s constitution from cover to back page. Nothing was said about the party leadership for non-party elected officers.
The only thing recognised by the constitution is the party structure, from national to ward level elected or appointed by the party. You cannot assume the position of party leadership on the basis that you are the highest elected office holder for government offices at any level.
Our party is structured using the American democracy. The Democrats or Republicans, as elected to represent the people at all levels in government, cannot say that they are the leaders of their respective parties. What our people do here is wrong. It is just that they want the party to continue to revolve around them. There are procedures in the party and everybody draws his strength from the party’s guideline, party’s constitution and National Working Committee (NWC).
There is nothing like the state leader. In any case, you have self-styled leaders as aspirants who also want to contest election. These are the issues that led to our failure in the state. In the eyes of the Coalition, such leadership will not be recognised, but we are bound to recognise party hierarchy.
Mbaise politics in the eyes of Imo people
As an Mbaise man, I want to tell you that we cannot chicken out of Imo, national and world politics because of blackmail. We have what it takes to play politics. The truth is that if you want to beat your opponent, he resorts to blackmail and derogatory comments against you.
Mbaise, prior to Independence and in today’s politics, has produced best lawmakers since 1960, best ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, best managers as vice chancellors of various universities across Nigeria and beyond, best in academic excellence and best in business management. We believe in hard work, innovation and love for equality and elders. Mbaise people are thriving all over the world.
These are verifiable facts. One thing is very clear; when your opponent identifies you as capable as he is, he will resort to envy and blackmail. We have contributed to the economic development of this country and can vie for the highest office in the land. For the governorship position in Imo, it is only God that gives power, and when time comes, no man can stop it. Prior to the emergence of Dee Sam Mbakwe (of blessed memory) as governor, people said all kinds of things against the people of Obowo. Today, everybody wants to associate himself with the name Sam Mbakwe. Before Achike Udenwa became governor, a lot were said about Orlu people, but we ignored that and made Udenwa governor and his tenure was a success story.
We are great people with strong determination. We have had good working relationship with other clans in the state and across the country. Many people want to marry wives from Mbaise land. In almost every family and community across the state, you must find an Mbaise man living, working to earn a living in line with the agreement you had with him. Don’t plan or take actions that will make him suspect you want to void your agreement with him. Trust that he will be the first person to resist you. I am proud to be an Mbaise man because our people can be trusted. We are also proud of other people from other clans. They have related with us very well.
