ORIGIN OF PDP
The state of the nation prior to 1998 could well be described as near comatose. The human rights record of the military administration was appalling. The nation’s economy was on a steady slide to a disastrous perdition. There was near hopelessness and uncertainty. In the political terrain, the nation was served with strange concoctions that would have ultimately led to national suicide.
In the international arena, Nigeria which once stood tall as the giant of Africa was reduced to an inconsequential midget with the suffocating tag of a pariah nation tightening round her neck.
Hitherto brave men and women became cowards overnight, groveling at the throne of the one who had wished to become the absolute emperor of Nigeria.
For each passing day, the light of hope dimmed in Nigeria. The height of despair was achieved when the five registered political parties aptly described by the late Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige as the “five fingers of a leprous hand” strangely adopted a serving soldier and the incumbent Head of State, General Sani Abacha, as their presidential candidate. The conventions of the ‘parties’, which were supervised by the goons of the regime, were sad symptoms of a decadent nation on the brink of disintegration. The regime capped up this comical idea with an unprecedented show of self-amusement in a forum of waste tagged “One Million Men March” where politicians, respected ones at that, professed to the whole world on national television that no other human being in a country of over 100 million people was qualified to rule the country. What a calamity. What a damming verdict on a population known for its industry, resilience and ingenuity!
This was the state of affairs in 1998. The nation was passing through a phase described by some analysts as “the dark ages”. At a point, it seemed no one could stand in the way of this rampaging dictator who was bent on entrenching himself in the country. While this sordid state of affairs was holding sway, a group of politicians under the auspices of the All Politicians Summit convened a meeting in 1997 to discuss the way out of what was fast becoming a festering dictatorship. That meeting, led by Dr. Alex Ekwueme was brutally dispersed by the security apparati of the Sani Abacha’s regime. Dr. Ekwueme undeterred by the brutish antics of the regime continued rallying key political figures of different ideological persuasions under a new platform called Institute of civil society.
In the midst of all this confusion, a group of political leaders, eighteen of them in the first instance and later thirty-four decided to “dare the lion in his den”. This group known as the G-34 later formed the nucleus and rallying point of the associations that formed what is today, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
What were the ideas behind this coalition to save democracy? Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar Rimi, Second Republic Governor of Kano State and convener of the Peoples Democratic Party, traces the idea of the formation of the Party to the quest to unite civil society against military rule. According to him, “the politics of Nigeria before now was built on ethnicity, regionalism, sectionalism and things like that. It gave us a lot of problems over the years. So we decided that we are going to form a party that is so big and so popular that everybody will join”. The prevailing gloom at the time coupled with the treachery of a section of the political class required a form of awakening and the political re-engineering which the G-34 willingly provided.
In February 1998, a Group of eighteen politicians wrote to General Abacha stating their opposition to his planned transmutation from a military ruler to a civilian president. The group advised Gen. Abacha to resign and seek nomination on the platform of any of the political parties of his choice if he wanted to continue as president. The attempt to muscle the five existing parties to adopt him was unacceptable to the G-18. In March of the same year, the group expanded to thirty-four members who again wrote to the Head of State, reiterating the earlier position of the G-18. The G-34 was now led by Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Vice President and convener of the Institute of Civil Society. In the heat of the struggle against dictatorship and at a time the ignoble desire of self perpetuation was gathering a disturbing momentum, General Abacha mysteriously died on June 8, 1998.
His successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, on assumption of office initiated wide consultations with several political groups. The consultations by the regime brought to the fore the unmistakable resolve of Nigerians for an immediate return to civil democratic rule. General Abacha’s death provided the soothing relief to the battered psyche of the people of Nigeria. Bowing to the wishes of Nigerians, General Abubakar unveiled an eleven-month transition programme, which will terminate on May 29, 1999. The “five fingers of the leprous hand”, which operated as “political parties”, namely, the UNCP, CNC, NCPN, DPN and GDM were dissolved. Nigerians were now free to form genuine political parties to compete for political space without the suffocating tailoring by agents of the state.
The G-34, which was now established as an embodiment of the hope and democratic aspirations of Nigerians having demonstrated courage when it was convenient to show docile acquiescence became the rallying point of a blossoming trans-ideological movement willing to offer leadership to Nigerians. According to Chief Solomon Lar, the first elected chairman of PDP, the G-34 captured the excitement of Nigerians “because of the quality and integrity of its members”. To him, Nigerians were no longer willing to gamble away their future to fortune seekers who dominated the failed politics of the Abacha era. As a consequence of sustaining the momentum of democratic struggle, the G-34 attracted several political associations that shared the vision of a truly formidable national political platform.
On August 19, 1998, several political associations including the All Nigerian Congress (ANC), Peoples Consultative Forum (PCF), Social Political Party (SPP) Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Peoples National Forum (PNF) and twenty-five other associations resolved to form a political party known as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The overriding goal of the new party was to bring together all patriotic and like-minded Nigerians into a single formidable political party capable of organizing and making productive the energy of the people. The new party also set out to work together for the speedy restoration of democracy, the achievements of national reconciliation, economic and social reconstruction, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The Peoples Democratic Party was launched at a colourful ceremony at the International Conference Centre Abuja on August 31, 1998. The Party had Dr. Alex Ekwueme as Chairman of the Steering Committee while Professor Jerry Gana was the Secretary. The PDP applied for registration along with the several other political associations under the guidelines released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC.) Under the guidelines, registration of parties was to be done in phases. First on the basis of National Spread and establishment of proper offices in at least twenty-four of the thirty-six states and the FCT. The ultimate test for registration was the performance of the Associations in the Local Government Polls scheduled for December 5, 1998. Under this provision in the INEC guidelines, only a party that scored at least ten percent in at least twenty-four states in the local council election shall qualify for final registration. This was later reduced to five percent to accommodate the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which was a splinter group from the PDP.
In all these criteria, the PDP emerged tops. The INEC verification team observed that the PDP was firmly established in virtually all the wards of the federation. In the Local Government Polls, the PDP won 471 out of the 774 LGAs and were tops in 28 of the 36 states and the FCT.Thus, the ground work for the establishment of the PDP as the most popular and largest political party in the history of Nigeria was achieved. The party not only had presence in every locality, it also was ahead of its competitors in the thrust of campaigns. In the governorship elections which held in January 1999, the PDP won in 21 states, the All Peoples Party (APP) won in 9 states while the Alliance for Democracy (AD) won in 6 states.
In the countdown to democratic rule, the Peoples Democratic Party between the 13th and 14th of February, 1999, in Jos Plateau, State held its Presidential Nomination Convention. The exercise, which produced General Olusegun Obasanjo as PDP flag bearer, was hailed as one of the most transparent and monumental conventions in Nigeria’s political history. So transparent was the event that the co- contestants led by the runner-up and leader of the G-34 Dr. Alex Ekwueme, led the campaign of General Olusegun Obasanjo. Chief Sunday Awoniyi who was the Chairman of the Convention described Dr. Ekwueme as the “hero of democracy” because of his sportsmanly disposition.
While the PDP was prosecuting it campaign as one united entity and winning converts including key opposition figures on its campaign trail, the two other opposition parties were in total disarray. The APP dumped its presidential candidate Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu shortly after his election at the party’s convention in Kaduna. In what could pass as one of the most absurd innovations in Nigerian politics, the APP which could have been described as the senior partner in its alliance with the AD conceded the presidential ticket to Chief Olu Falae of the AD while Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi became the running mate.
The PDP’s candidate Chief Olusegun Obsanjo triumphed in the election. He scored a total vote of 18,738,154 while the AD/APP contraption scored 11,110,287. On of May 29, 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was duly sworn in as the second executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the4th of June, 1999, the National Assembly was inaugurated with Senator Evan Enwerem (now late) and Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu Buhari elected as President of Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICAL IDEOLOGY OF PDP
Ideology represents a typically crucial element of
political parties and their activities. It is a set of ideas about
politics, all of which are related to one another and that
modify and support each other. Though relatively enduring,
it is yet a dynamic phenomenon, capable of being modified
by new issues. It was in this light that Philips W. Shively
(1997) defines an ideology as “a continually developing,
organized set of ideas about politics that helps us to make
sense of the myriad of political questions that face use”. For
Okudiba Nnoli, ideology typifies “a systematized and
interconnected set of ideas about the socio-economic and
political organization of society as a whole” (Nnoli, 2003:
178).
The concept of ideology, is, historically, deeply rooted
in political theory. As a concept, it was coined by the late
eighteenth century French philosopher, Destutt de Tracy
(1754 – 1836). According to Nnoli (2003:177), Destutt de
Tracy used it to describe a new scientific discipline that
systematically studies ideas, emotions and sensations – the
science of ideas. This conception has since changed and
ideology has come to embody the ideas themselves. As a
result of the changes, ideology has come to be presented as a
subject representing two contradictory realities – the good
and the bad, the former depicting ideology as “a system of
thought that animates social or political action”, and the
latter as a “misleading, illusory or one-sided criticism or
condemnation” (cf Nnoli, 2003:178-79). This was the kind of
debate that dominated political discourse in the mid-
nineteenth century. For instance, in their: The German
Ideology, Marx and Engels (1960) took a swipe at Hegel and
his-co-travelers, describing them as ideologists of the
bourgeois system, not articulate about the material
conditions of social and political life. Yet, they went ahead to
articulate another conception of ideology based on class
analysis as a device for articulating the conflicting interests
of different social classes (Nnoli, 2003:178).
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every Presidential elections since 1999, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic amidst controversial circumstances. The party has a neoliberal stance in its economic policies and maintains a conservative stance on certain social issues, such as same sex relations.
We of the Peoples Democratic party of Nigeria,
Conscious Of;
Our historic mission to build a modern democratic state founded on Justice, Equity and Fair play.
Realizing the need to;
i. Make fundamental break with past mistakes in order to realize the optimum potentials of the Country;
ii.
iii. Build a qualitatively better society based on the principles of democracy, human rights and social justice under the rule of law;
Committed to;
i. Restructuring Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism and responsible tiers of government, so as to achieve a just and equitable society;
ii. Resolving such fundamental issues as proper devolution of powers between the three tiers of government;
Covenant as follows:
1. The Indivisibility of the Nigerian Polity
i. We affirm our belief in the unity of Nigeria under the Federal System of Government. We shall, therefore, continuously promote political tolerance, accommodation and compromise, religious harmony, as well as inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic accommodation and co-operation.
ii. The Party shall also promote geo-political balancing as a fundamental principle of power sharing in the country, in line with the principle of federal character.
iii. The Party shall uphold the principle of power rotation in our polity at all levels.
2. Supremacy of The Constitution
We affirm our belief in the supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation and its people. We hereby affirm our commitment to strict observance and enforcement of the provisions. As a political party, we shall conform to the spirit and the letter of the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party.
3. Independence Of The Judiciary and Operation Of The Rule Of Law
We affirm our belief in the supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation and its people. We hereby affirm our commitment to strict observance and enforcement of the provisions. As a political party, we shall conform to the spirit and the letter of the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party.
4. Sanctithy of Human Dignity
We affirm belief in respect of fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and International Protocols and Conventions. We are against all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, place of origin, or ethnicity, race, beliefs, etc. The PDP will strive to protect the rights of vulnerable groups in society, including women, children, senior citizens, pyhsically challenged and minorities.
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES
We shall remain strongly committed to:
i. Democracy and good governance;
ii. Freedom, human rights and human dignity;
iii. Justice, equity, popular participation, inclusiveness and the rule of law;
iv. Integrity, transparency and accountability in the conduct of public affairs;
v. Sustainable development through the creation of an enabling environment for private sector led economic development.
DIRECTION OF POLICY AND MEASURES
1. Political Objective
The political objective of the Peoples Democratic Party is to:
i. Seek political power for the purpose of pretecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria and promoting the security, safety, welfare, and well-being of all Nigerians.
ii. Promote and establish political stability in Nigeria and foster national unity and integration while safeguarding our culture and our values;
iii. Provide good governance that ensures probity and participatory democracy;
iv. Guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens and persons resident in Nigeria.
v. Promote and nurture democratic ideals and traditions on a sustainable basis;
vi. Provide the political environment that is conducive to economic growth and national development through private initiative and free enterprise;
vii. Offer equal opportunities to hold the highest political, military, bureaucratic and judicial offices in the country to all citizens, and protect, defend and safeguard the interests of all including minorities.
2. Governance
The party shall be committed to:
i. The principle of participatory democracy that lays emphasis on the welfare of our people:
ii. The principles of social justice and the equality of opportunities for all Citizens;
iii. The promotion and defense of the Nigerian Federal System of government;
iv. The principles of accountability and transparency in order to restore confidence in the institutions of government, discipline and leadership by example as basis for public lifeand personal integrity as an important moral value in the conduct of public affairs;
v. Fostering the spirit of oneness among our people by treating all Nigerians fairly and equitably, regardless of their social, political or economic status; and
vi. The preservation of Nigeria as a multi-religious state whilst guaranteeing freedom of religion and good conscience.
3. Economy
At the root of Nigeria's political and social problems is poverty and low access to economic opportunities. The improvement in the well-being of Nigerians is the ultimate objective of the PDP's economic policy, and make accessible to every Nigerian the basic needs of life. The focus would be to create a market-based economy driven by small and medium scale businesses and regulated by a reformed public sector.
At the very foundation of the above objective of the party is the pursuit of a strong, virile and diversified economy built to stm rural urban migration through investment in modern agricultural methods. PDP's economic policy is centered on people and seeks to realize the Millennium Development Goals while aiming to:
i. Develop a middle class driven by small business owners, professional class with access to credit.
ii. Create easy access to transferable property rights in urban and rural areas.
iii. Protect the weak and poor through initiatives that is designed to integrate them in the economy.
iv. Improve investment in physical and social infrastructure.
The PDP aims, altogether, at establishing the leading economy in Africa and one of the 20 leading and largest economies in the World by 2020; an economy that experiences rapid and sustained growth of not less than 10% per annum.
4. The Judiciary And The Administration Of Justice
The Party shall:
i. At all times uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
ii. Uphold the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution;
iii. Uphold the Independence of the Judiciary;
iv. Ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians.
Economic issues
The PDP favors free-market policies which support economic liberalism, and limited government regulation. In 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo and Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala embarked on a radical economic reform program, which reduced government spending through conservative fiscal policies, and saw the deregulation and privatization of numerous industries in Nigerian services sector — notably the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) industry.[7]
On the other hand, the PDP adopts a more leftist stance towards poverty and welfare. In 2005, President Obasanjo launched Nigeria's first National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure that every Nigerian has access to basic health care services.[8]
The PDP strives to maintain the status quo on oil revenue distribution. Though the PDP government setup the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to address the needs of the oil-producing Niger Delta states, it has rebuffed repeated efforts to revert back to the 50% to 50% federal-to-state government revenue allocation agreement established in 1966 during the First Republic.[9]
Social issues
The PDP is against same sex relations, and favors social conservatism on moral and religious grounds. In 2007, the PDP-dominated National Assembly sponsored a bill to outlaw homosexual relations, making it punishable by law for up to five years in prison.[10]
The party is a moderate advocate of state-autonomy and religious freedom for the Nigerian provinces. In the year 2000 the introduction of Islamic law in some states in Northern Nigeria triggered sectarian violence in Kaduna and Abia states. The PDP-led federal government refused to bow to pressure from the southern, predominantly Christian states to repeal the law, and instead opted for a compromise where Islamic law would only apply to Muslims.[11]
Historical development of the PDP political ideology
In the Beginning
The state of the nation prior to 1998 could well be described as near comatose. The human rights record of the military administration was appalling. The nation’s economy was on a steady slide to a disastrous perdition. There was near hopelessness and uncertainty. In the political terrain, the nation was served with strange concoctions that would have ultimately led to national suicide.
In the international arena, Nigeria which once stood tall as the giant of Africa was reduced to an inconsequential midget with the suffocating tag of a pariah nation tightening round her neck.
Hitherto brave men and women became cowards overnight, groveling at the throne of the one who had wished to become the absolute emperor of Nigeria.
For each passing day, the light of hope dimmed in Nigeria. The height of despair was achieved when the five registered political parties aptly described by the late Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige as the “five fingers of a leprous hand” strangely adopted a serving soldier and the incumbent Head of State, General Sani Abacha, as their presidential candidate.
The conventions of the ‘parties’, which were supervised by the goons of the regime, were sad symptoms of a decadent nation on the brink of disintegration.The regime capped up this comical idea with an unprecedented show of self-amusement in a forum of waste tagged “One Million Men March” where politicians, respected ones at that, professed to the whole world on national television that no other human being in a country of over 100 million people was qualified to rule the country. What a calamity. What a damming verdict on a population known for its industry, resilience and ingenuity!
This was the state of affairs in 1998. The nation was passing through a phase described by some analysts as “the dark ages”. At a point, it seemed no one could stand in the way of this rampaging dictator who was bent on entrenching himself in the country.While this sordid state of affairs was holding sway, a group of politicians under the auspices of the All Politicians Summit convened a meeting in 1997 to discuss the way out of what was fast becoming a festering dictatorship. That meeting, led by Dr. Alex Ekwueme was brutally dispersed by the security apparati of the Sani Abacha’s regime. Dr. Ekwueme undeterred by the brutish antics of the regime continued rallying key political figures of different ideological persuasions under a new platform called Institute of civil society.
In the midst of all this confusion, a group of political leaders, eighteen of them in the first instance and later thirty-four decided to “dare the lion in his den”. This group known as the G-34 later formed the nucleus and rallying point of the associations that formed what is today, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
References
1. ^ Africa | Nigeria party picks its candidate. BBC News (2006-12-17). Retrieved on 2011-04-30.
2. ^ Debo Abdulai, "PDP Convention: Intrigues, horse-trading as Ogbulafor emerges chairman", Nigerian Tribune, March 9, 2008.
3. ^ a b "Nigeria: As Ogbulafor Emerges PDP Chairman, Obasanjo Loses Grip", Daily Trust, Abuja (allAfrica.com), March 9, 2008.
4. ^ Obasanjo threatens to quit PDP – The Guardian. Nigerian Bulletin (2011-01-06). Retrieved on 2011-04-30.
