Progressives may regroup for 2007 polls
From Idowu Ajanaku (Lagos) and Ifedayo Sayo, Ado-Ekiti
STRONG indications emerged yesterday that following the crack in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), progressive politicians in the country may have begun moves to form a broad based political party for 2007 polls.
President Olusegun Obasanjo and the PDP National Chairman Chief Audu Ogbeh are currently trading words over the Anambra State crisis.
The Guardian learnt that politicians who share the same political ideology especially during the days of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have put machinery in motion in case the on-going crisis disintegrates the PDP.
Indeed, many political analysts had predicted the possible disintegration of the PDP against the background of many forces jostling for positions within the party.
Already, politicians like Alhaji Olatunji Hamzat, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu it was learnt have started consultations with all the progressive politicians on the need for the formation of broad based political party in order to wrestle power from the PDP in 2007.
Although it was learnt that such political re-alignment was in the offing as politicians who claim to belong to the progressive bloc plan to meet and re-group in the first quarter of next year. But the feud within the leadership of the PDP, however, quickens the resolve of the politicians to re-group.
When contacted yesterday, one of the brains behind the consultations, who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Guardian that the progressives had foreseen the problem within the PDP and have since put machinery in motion.
His words: "We know that the PDP will fall apart before 2007. We know that our members who are progressives but found themselves in the PDP will come back. So the process is on. Even if they force Audu Ogbeh out, it is good for us", he said.
Meanwhile, former Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State, Mr. Bayo Aina, has said that the PDP has lost moral grounds to continue to direct the affairs of the nation.
Reacting to the letter written by Obasanjo to ogbeh, he said it was disappointing that the President has confirmed the generally accepted belief that the PDP rigged itself into power in the last polls.
Besides, the letter of the PDP national chairman is a confirmation that the PDP has failed the nation in the management of the economy, saying Nigerians do not need any soothsayer to tell them that the rushed economic reforms may not achieve any desired results.
He explained that if the President could agree that the PDP was rigged into power in the governorship election in Anambra State, it goes to show that the votes cast for the party in the presidential election was equally rigged in favour of the President.
He said the content of the letters has equally confirmed that the victory of the party in the South West was equally a fluke.
He warned that the PDP should rather bury its head in shame for the evil the party perpetrated in the last general election saying the party could not longer be trusted to direct the affairs of the nation.
|
