A former national vice chairman (South South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Ogidi, has said that the party is currently weak as it has suffered major setbacks caused by some party stakeholders.
The PDP chieftain alleged that a certain party member in Rivers State (name withheld) had sold the party out, contributing to its current woes.
Ogidi said the party no longer understood how to play the opposition role.
OsunDailyNG reports that Ogidi said this on Thursday during a chat with Arise TV regarding the “poor performance” of the party in the recently concluded Senate minority leadership tussle.
This news platform reports that the battle for the Senate Minority Leadership ended on Tuesday with the emergence of the PDP’s Senator, Simon Davou Mwadkwon, representing Plateau North Senatorial District, as the Minority Leader.
Mwadkwon emerged ahead of Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi and Adamu Aliero, who were believed to be in the camp of the candidate of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The Senate President, in announcing the minority leadership positions, said: “The majority of members of the Senate Minority Caucus of the Senate, made up of seven political parties, have come up with their leadership.
“They are Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon as the Minority Leader; Senator Lere Oyewumi (PDP, Osun West) Deputy Minority Leader; Senator Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central) as the Minority Whip; and Senator Rufai Hanga (NNPP, Kano Central), as the Deputy Minority Whip.”
OsunDailyNG understands that PDP and its leadership have since been subjected to mockery, considering that it has the largest minority party in the Senate, having 36 senators.
Many have accused the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) of failing to unite its members so they could have their way in the Senate minority leadership.
There have also been allegations of anti-party activities and misconduct by some members of the party.
Reacting to the development, however, Ogidi said on Wednesday that the party is currently weakened.
According to him the party NWC has focussed on its case in court against President Bola Tinubu’s victory at the February 25th election.
He said: “If you look at it, we have 36 senators – almost one-third of the House. APC has done well.
“They tried to break our ranks. And this is possible because of our man in Rivers who sold out. He has consistently tried to destroy the party. Yes, it’s true that we have weaknesses in PDP. We don’t know how to play the opposition. That is why APC which specializes in playing the opposition, was able to thrive against us.
“Those erring members will need the party at all times. They will always want to come back to the party. The party has its stick. Yes, it’s weakened now, but we are still in the court. All our attention now has been in the court. So it’s a distraction right now if you ask me. The big picture we are after is the court.
“The party is supreme. We are going to restructure it. Because whether they it or not, they are party men, and I believe they’ll listen to us. We are looking at the big picture. Ninety per cent of our attention at the moment is geared towards the court. And in the last meeting we had two weeks ago, these issues were brought up, and we said, look, we are going to set up a committee to look into this. Those that will be punished will be punished. “
