Sincerely and deep within me, if I will have a say in the affairs of the PDP as per the 2011 presidential primaries, my frank counsel to the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BOT) will be this simple.
Discard the so called Northern Leaders consensus argument and allow all those interested in the presidency to contest the primaries. I urge the president to also come into the race as a normal contender without muzzling the machinery of state to lubricate his aspiration. Much as this regional endorsements appears tidy and cleverly scripted, having a consensus candidate in a party as big as the PDP without exhausting the litany of processes outlined, will temporarily breed insurgence and become counter productive on the long run.
Regular consensus will technically frustrate and kill the spirit of democracy. Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), Alh. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Bukola Saraki and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan should all be allowed to test their popularity at the PDP primaries in January. It will be healthy for our nascent democracy. our people especially the youth of this country will like to see these people debate and present their divers manifestos to the whole world.
I remain a strong advocate of the minority having their say though we all know the majority will always have their way. But, I have also observed that within the context of time, the minority that is right will eventually become the majority while the majority that is wrong will end up being the minority.
Much as I am 100.1% in support of GEJ, I also feel it is not too good not to have a keenly contested presidential primary.
We must not forget the immediate and remote lessons that gave birth to the bizarre situation being played out in Ivory Coast these past weeks, were Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, a once reputable and brilliant Professor of History is now behaving like a lunatic and idiot. Sometimes, I wonder what he must have taught his students during his days in the classroom as a teacher of history and politics. We must at all times allow our little education and exposure guide our conscience when we tilt or stand before the lens of history and even eternity.
Nigeria will flourish again.
Merry Christmas and an eventful 2011 ahead.
