Supreme Court judgement on PDP: Obi says it is victory for democracy

Chief Ben Obi, National Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday described the Supreme Court judgment which affirmed Ahmed Makarfi-led committee as “judgment for democracy and political parties.”

Obi, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Awka, said the Supreme Court’s decision had put to rest any doubt about who was supreme in all matters of the party.

“The truth of the matter is that, since the commencement of the crisis that engulfed the party in May 2016, all the organs of the party had remained with the caretaker committee that was set up by virtue of the party’s Constitution at the convention.

“Attempting to usurp the Constitution is in futility; and graciously, the Supreme Court judgment has re-affirmed that position in no unmistaken terms,” he said.

The national secretary said the party was now focused and prepared to pursue 2019 elections, rigorously, but stressed that it will begin with a reconciliation process of all members.

Obi said those, who are supporters of the caretaker, still had one grouse or the other which will all be put to rest in the interest of vibrant opposition and subsequent takeover of government in 2019.

He described the PDP as the “only political party in this country” and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as “a conglomeration of strange bed fellows, who are desperate to grab power.”

“Every institution of governance that is been displayed today were founded and established by the PDP but there is no one to say, this is what the APC has put in place.

“All I am asking is, what has the APC done?

“The pursuit of corruption is certainly not balanced and is not thoroughly being done. That is why they have not won any case since the pursuit and prosecution of corrupt persons,” he noted.

Speaking on the governorship election scheduled to hold in Anambra on Nov. 18, Obi said the party will follow INEC’s due process to select credible and fortified candidate for the party.

According to him, PDP in the state has always been the solid block; a party with many destinies.

On the Osun West senatorial election, the national secretary said the party won because the PDP factions joined forces together.

“What transpired in Osun was due to complaints from the international bodies and political parties in the country which made INEC to wake up to do the needful.

“Our biggest problem used to be INEC. One thing the PDP did from Yar’Adua and more importantly, Jonathan, was to sanitize the electoral process completely and every politician now started to say go and campaign because votes counted.

“That was why the world applauded the 2011 and 2015 elections as the best, but since the APC came, they tried to interfere in the affairs of INEC that it almost crumbled.

“We expect now that INEC will keep to the tradition of free, credible and violent free election which the PDP put in place,” he added.

Obi, a former Special Adviser to the President Jonathan on Inter-party affairs, criticised the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over its call against the conduct of governorship election in Anambra.

According to him, they were not properly guided before taking that position.

“If there is no election, what will happen, a state of emergency or what?

“These are young men who do not have the vision to understand what democracy is all about, but enjoying in the euphoria of young blood bustling for acceptance and recognition,” he said.

The national secretary said the call for restructuring by the leadership cadre in the South and the Middle-belt, was the only way to go for the country to go.

“There has to be devolution of power so that states or federating units can build their economy at their own speed and space; there is no compromise on that,” Obi said.