PDP crisis and the unwarranted attacks on Ortom

It is no longer news that the main opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has become a theatre of the absurd since it conducted its presidential primaries and picked the vice presidential candidate.

Recent developments however, seem to have calmed the storm in the political party which is desirous of regaining power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC which has become a synonym for failure, incompetence and disregard for the welfare and security of the people.

But the sad reality is that the latest readjustments in the PDP occasioned by the resignation of the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Whalid Jubril and the emergence of Adolphus Wagbara and a few other shakeups are not in anyway an indication that the party is on its way to redemption.

The reason is simple. There was an agreement that the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu would step aside if the party’s presidential ticket goes to the North. But he has blatantly refused to honour that agreement even as the pact was reached in respect of the spirit and letters of the party’s constitution which is very clear on zoning and justice.

Now, those who were part of the social contract among key stakeholders within the party are not happy with the clandestine move by some political opportinitsts to scheme them out. And some cheerleaders want them to stand and watch their political future crushed.

Sadly also is the callous, satanic and unnecessary attacks on the person of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who is being wrongly accused of refusing to protect Dr. Iyorchia Ayu who is understandably and rightly the main target of those who are demanding for justice.

The action of those putting Governor Ortom on the spot is counter-productive as the fate of Dr. Ayu does not lie in his (Ortom’s) hand, but the provisions of the constitution of the party and the concerned members of the PDP. It is true that Governor Ortom was supported by his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike to anchor the emergence of Dr. Ayu as the PDP National Chairman. But expecting Governor Ortom to go to war with Governor Wike and other members of the party for demanding that the right thing should be done is uncharitable and unfair to the Benue State Governor.

We must first of all know that Dr. Ayu who was the direct beneficiary of that solid collaboration between Governors Ortom and Wike has betrayed the trust reposed in him and portrayed the Tiv people as ingrates. The situation will be more precarious if Ortom also abandones what is right and queues behind Ayu to further destroy the trust other people have in the Tiv people.

Governor Ortom’s dignified silence and uncommon neutrality in the fight between the now termed Wike group and Ayu group is the best way to go. He (Ortom) may not be finding the situation easy as the man who helped him to project his brother (Ayu) is now at war with the man they helped. Governor Ortom is simply caught in a crossfire and does not deserve the unsavoury commentaries coming from some elements.

The Governor also deserves commendation for maintaining a good and respectful relationship with Dr. Ayu in the midst of all the tension in the party. Governor Ortom is not known for double standards and he has been quite supportive of Ayu’s chairmanship to the surprise and disappointment of his traducers. The Ortom that we all know shall ever remain undaunted in ensuring that he shuns everything capable of jeopardising the interest of Benue State and his relationship with leaders of the party from within the state and nationally, Chairman Iyorchia Ayu inclusive.

Benue people have to be aware that Ortom stands to benefit more from an Ayu Chairmanship than any one else even as Dr. Ayu has proven over time to be a traitor with a penchant for stubborn refusal to obey laid down rules and agreements. Those who followed events in the aborted third republic will remember how and why he was booted out as the Senate President. Also, the facts about how he kept enjoying the privilege of getting ministerial positions and losing same cheaply are also out there. He has hardly shown that he is a reliable ally. How he keeps being lucky to be considered for major tasks beats me.

Now, he has again fallen short of expectations and those he has betrayed are going for his jugular, yet some mischief makers want to hang it on Governor Ortom who, despite stiff opposition even from within the party, dragged Dr. Ayu out of political dungeon and put in concerted efforts to make him the PDP National Chairman.

One wonders why Ortom has always been the target of people whenever he stakes his neck for others and they turn around to be the direct opposite of what they should be. The cases are legion, but I don’t want to start another debate within this debate so I would not name names. I however know that those who know, also know.

There are also those who are taking on Governor Ortom for mere sentimental reasons. Why on earth would someone even imagine that Ortom has abandoned Ayu because the PDP Chair is from Jemgbagh? The questions therefore are: has Ortom truly abandoned Ayu? Did Ayu become Jemgbagh man after Ortom brought him from political oblivion and dropped him at the helm of PDP hierarchy? Was he not from Jemgbagh when Ortom defied all opposition to revive his political career? What should Ortom even do to rescue a man who has shown no appreciation to those who stood for his cause? Why should Governor Ortom make a 360 degrees turn and join Dr.Ayu in disregarding the agreement that enabled him(Ortom) and others to install Ayu as National Chairman? The questions are indeed, legion.

Those who claim to love Dr. Ayu more than Governor Ortom does should tow the line of the Benue State Governor to find solutions to the lingering crisis in the PDP which may end up consuming Dr. Ayu and the hopes of PDP in the 2023 polls. Throwing missiles at Governor Ortom is not in anyway the panacea to Dr. Ayu’s imminent disappearance into political oblivion.

For Governor Samuel Ortom, he did his best by spending sleepless nights, building bridges across the Niger and expending a lot of time and energy to have Dr. Ayu take up the mantle of PDP leadership. He (Ortom) is still doing his best underground to have Dr. Ayu retain the position through constructive dialogue and political considerations even as Dr. Ayu’s utterances directly and indirectly through his hirelings and his (Ayu’s) outings on the social media don’t seem to be disposed to having an immediate resolution to the crisis.

But like it is said, “you can force a horse to the river, but you can not force it to drink water”. Governor Ortom and others have done the best they could for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. Even as the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate from the North is threatening his position as PDP chairman, decency, modesty, discipline and comportment can make him keep the position longer than he should. That is why Dr. Ayu has to measure his words, especially in the public space. Gloating and celebrating “victory” over those who contributed to his emergence as PDP National Chairman as he did the other day on social media, after calling them ‘children’ earlier, was absolutely unnecessary!

Hundu Bunde Ph.D

Writes from Makurdi.