PDP Primaries: History's About to Repeat itself

Daily Rendezvous

A concerned citizen in Adamawa has raised the alarm over the sloppy and mischievous conduct of PDP party primaries in the state.

The concerned citizen who pleaded for anonymity says, he does not know why people always fail to learn from the past and improve on their behaviour going forward because it seems as if the ruling party in the state has not looked back and learn from it because the party primaries held in the state was a system that was completely rigged and corrupted to produce a prescribed outcome of distorted representation.and trust me, we all know the truth, we cannot deceive ourselves, we all know by now that no good would come from this kind of process.

He said, "The PDP in Adamawa state has just concluded another round of party primaries to select its best candidates to fly the party's flag at the forthcoming general elections in 2023. Any smart politician would want to put it's best foot forward. So, the PDP has successfully elected candidates for its House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate, to hoist its flag for what is expected to be a fierce contest in 2023 against the APC.

"It is a simple political calculations, when the system and process for selecting your leaders is faulty, then the outcome will always be disastrous. You cannot eat your cake and have it, right? The question is, are these the best and formidable candidates to represent PDP at the state house of Assembly elections in all the twenty five membership seats up for grabs in the state?"

PDP might be heading for a self-ordained predestined perdition as it stands! Are these the candidates to clinch votes for the PDP against a much more organized, determined and committed APC in 2023?

He maintained that, "The ruling  party in Adamawa has not learnt its lessons at all from its mistakes of 2015 where a politician was imposed on the party leading to its eventual loss of power and the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa. 

"As glaring as that error was, it is unfortunately popping its ugly head again in the most important decision process that PDP needed to get right in order to retain power at all levels in the state come 2023."

He further challenged that, "Democracy in its very essence is a government of the people, for the people and by the people, hence it is representative by design. 

"By that it means a few elected people take decision on behalf of majority, so it is important, crucial and significant that these elected officials are a true representation of the people and that the process of achieving effective and quality representation starts from primaries and the kind of delegates drawn into the process.

"In my opinion, that also has been aborted.

"What was witnessed at the PDP primaries was an abortion of democracy as real politicians especially in Numan, were disconnected from the process and civil servants were drafted to displace politicians as delegates instead. When such distorted version of democracy is imposed on the people, the leaders that emerge from that kind of process are usually disloyal to the people and self-serving.

"And it always shows during elections as the party suffers. So when PDP lost elections, don't be too surprised because, people always reap what they sow.

"This is the very reality that PDP is projecting in Adamawa state by its strange kind of party primaries that largely produces errand boys instead of leaders thereby circumventing the essence of democracy in the state."

Speaking on the counterproductive nature of such process, he said, "It is not surprising that after decades of democratic practice, the system has largely benefitted only a few instead of majority of the Nigerian populace."

The concerned citizen cautions that, "I thought PDP in Adamawa would have learnt from its 2015 mistakes that led to its loosing elections but am afraid that history is might still repeat itself.

"The system has largely refused to allow democracy to exist in principle but I can assure you that people always reap what they sow and what goes around always comes around. And in 2023, PDP will get what it deserves."