Onyia: 2023 Presidential Poll is for PDP to Lose

Former member, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sir Ejiofor Onyia, in this interview with Omon-Julius Onabu, says the seemingly festering crisis rocking the party would not be as complicated as it is being made to appear, if the different interest groups would consider the contentious issues from the perspective of party interest

The crisis rocking your party, the Peoples Democratic Party, appears to be far from being over. Why is it so difficult for respected elders in the party like you to bring the crisis to an end especially in the Iight of ongoing campaigns?

I think the situation in the party at the moment is a little bit worrisome, but one must be realistic over the matter now. What is obvious is that the party runs by the rule of law. So, whatever agreements that are being put forward must be within the rule of law of the party.

Specifically, going by the provisions of the party’s constitution, a new National Convention of the PDP must take place in order to effect whatever changes in the leadership being contemplated, such would be impossible before the forthcoming general election in Nigeria.

Moreover, the party’s constitution provides that in the event of the removal of the national chairman of the party before the expiration of his or her tenure of office, it is the deputy national chairman, from the same geo-political zone as the national chairman, that can succeed the National Chairman, rather than someone else from another zone.

I was one of those who initially – and I still hold that opinion – that we should not castigate anybody; that we should not castigate anybody in the party despite the reactions that followed the primary election of the party. People must be allowed to vent their anger, but there must be a limit to everything that has to be done.

Now, the contending issue, as it is today, has to do with moving the leadership of the party from the North to the South. This is what I understand and that I want to be sure that I put out issues for everyone to consider.

By the rule of law of the Party and the Constitution, there is no provision by which that can be achieved right now. Because that means we are going to have a new convention to elect a new executive (council). We don’t have that kind of time and, therefore, there is no need to pursue that goal anymore.

Now, if it is an issue of Ayu personally, then we must all try and learn to live with the reality for now. Unless there is a means of removing him as Chairman. But one thing I have to caution is that even if Senator Ayu is removed today as Chairman, the only person that can succeed him, by the PDP Constitution, is the Deputy National Chairman from the zone, which is from the North.

Therefore, if the issue is that the Party Chairman should move to the South, that is not tenable as it is today, by the constitution of the party. I challenge anybody in the party to come up with a scenario whereby this can be accomplished without really creating a legal issue and inculcating more crises within the party. It is a legal issue and must be handled with care.”

Governor Nyesom Wike appears to be rigid and unyielding about his group’s position on Senator Ayu as the party’s national chairman…

I am appealing to my friend, the Governor of Rivers State (Wike), to sheathe the sword in the interest of the party. Aside being a lawyer who knows  better, I think he should really be thankful to God for all that he has achieved so far; and, he has a great future ahead of him still.

However, I am particularly not comfortable with the position of Bode George, whom I felt should have been a father to broker the peace and to keep a neutral position for this thing to work well. Yes, we are Southerners, but the issues must be delt with without looking at it purely only from one section or the other.

The rule of law must take its course, must be allowed to thrive. We are democrats, and where there is a democratic decision then, even if you don’t agree with the majority, we must allow the system to flow, that is, even if you do not agree with the democratically taken decision.

Against the foregoing, sir, what would you advise?

It is unconstitutional, for now. And therefore, that should be left alone until after the election. There are certain issues that could be discussed, certain promises and agreements can be reached. Immediately after the election, if by the grace of God, if Atiku is sworn in as the President, that becomes an automatic something that will happen. So, I’m a little bit concerned when I hear certain leaders of the party who should be seeking concession and seeking settlement, taking a side and making such demands, that they should know whay is obtainable.

It only means that people don’t want solution to the problem. We have come to the level where we cannot pursue something we know that is not legal, that is not tenable, and then, the issue of impunity should not be brought into this situation as it is today. The rule of law must be allowed to thrive within our system. We are democrats, and where there is a democratic decision, then even if you don’t agree with the majority, but once the majority has spoken, then you must allow the system to flow.

They can go to the National Working Committee to look at the issues, and the National Working Committee are gaining votes of confidence on the Chairman. That ends the story, because that is the only body empowered to make any such changes, if there was need to do. So, this is the way I look at it and I’m appealing to everybody including my good friend, Wike to let this go, and let us bring this country back to what it should be.

First, let the party win this election and then we can take off from there. There is no reason for this prolonged misunderstanding, prolonging unnecessarily, the settlement that should be. The fact that Ayu remains the Chairman of the party, till after the election does not convey any unnecessary advantage to any section of the country. And we must understand that this is not the first time, as a matter of fact that both the sitting President and the Chairman of the party are from the same zone. This is not the first time, it has been there in the system. But temporarily, he stays there till it is adjusted. So, we should not use that as a reason for causing crisis. I’m pleading that reason must prevail now. We have a saying in my language that: The old man uses the eye of an old man to look at the inside bag of a thief to determine whether there is something stolen or not. And, there are circumstances where you look at things and use maturity to proclaim what the situation should be, so that peace will reign. So, I’m appealing to my friend, the governor of Rivers State and I’m specially not quite comfortable with the position of Olabode George who I felt so have been a father to broker the peace and keep a neutral position for this thing to work. We are Southerners, yes, but issues must be dealt with, without looking at it purely only from one section or the other.

Well, again, the actions of the Rivers State Governor is purely a reactive action. He is still reacting to the fact that things may not have worked the way he expected. He is still reacting to the fact that he felt he had been there for the party, but when he needed the party, the party was not there for him. But you know, this is democracy, and therefore, he must begin to understand and accept the reality of life.

Let me give you an example with myself. Amongst all of them talking today, I’m senior to all of them in the party. I’m a founding father of that party. I was in the Alex Ekwueme’s executive that founded this party. None of them was there, not even George Olabode. But today, as I’m talking to you, there are positions that ordinarily, should have come to me, by virtue of being a founding father, but are not with me, that I’m denied of those positions and yet, I’ve not made any issue, I’ve not broken the house, I’ve not said anything. When I look at the situation, I didn’t spend my time and money founding the party just because of what I can gain. It was for the party to come up and redirect this country for the betterment of our children and the children unborn, not for me. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve lived up to 75 to 80 percent of my life, and therefore, why am I struggling anymore? If these things are not coming to me because they are my right and somebody sits somewhere and says, ‘No, I will denie him of his right’, good luck to the person. But I will yearn to see the party succeed so that the future generation will benefit, let it not be premised only on what I can gain, what I will benefit, no! So these are the issues we must look at critically.

And, for a man like the governor of Rivers State who has risen from a Local Government Chairman to be governor of a state, he should be grateful to God for what God has done for him. And if this is the first time he is trying for the President and he didn’t make it, the world should not collapse. He has a lot of future. He is a very young man, he is not even 60 yet. He is very young, and he has the future there for him, so he should accept what the situation is. Nobody knows tomorrow. This can turn around for him tomorrow and everybody would be on his feet. So, let him not destroy the house that he has held strongly just for the small misunderstanding that has come up over this matter. I’m appealing to him, it is not necessary. And I’m also appealing to the party not to be in a hurry to take action on anybody for now over anything that is anti-party. People are vetting and we should not go to the extreme for now. I believe we should compromise these issues. Let everybody throw away their anger and come together and let us move forward. For now, it’s not mature for anyone to set fire on the house just because there is a little rat that is running around the house. So, in either ways, we must  maintain some understanding so that the party can actually win this election.

My concern in this whole thing is that we should not throw away the baby with the bath water. For whatever reason, nobody is infallible, everybody has made mistakes. So, let us just allow things, forgive each other and come back to being in this house and take this party to victory, come February. That is my position.

Well, we are lucky that we have the time to settle out the issues before the election time. And also, it gives the parties time to expose all their programmes and all their maniestoes. And also, we can see within time, those who have the ability and knowledge to do what needs to be done to win this election. So, we are happy about that, but at the same time, it’s time to close ranks and do what is necessary for the party to move forward. No matter what the situation is, once you’re in a party, you have to play by the rule of the party. And, when the majority says yes, then we go by yes. And that is the only reason why we have political parties. Otherwise, we will all be independent.

Are you confident that the PDP can win the election in 2023?

Well, the presidential election is for the PDP to lose. It’s there for the PDP. There is no reason why PDP should lose the Presidential election because APC has done badly. All the promises made were not fulfilled. Infact, things got worse. So, I don’t see how PDP should not be able to win this election easily, except for this unnecessary misunderstanding that is going on within the party.

Everybody should please, tune down the rheotorics and allow peace to reign. In a political party, you really don’t have to be winner.

 Look, I’ve said it before. There is something that keeps everyone in a political party. That something does not mean that there is no difference among individuals. Well, in a political party, you still have those who are a little bit to the right. But, that doesn’t stop the party from pursuing the goal that is central to the formation and the running of that party. So, they don’t have to be best of friends to remain in one party, but there is an interest. You see, there is no permanent friend, only permanent interest. And, therefore, that permanent interest is what should motivate every member of the PDP now; to come home and make sure the party wins the Presidential election next year.”