Gbenga Daniel
LET’S START AFRESH… TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT!
PROTOCOLS
1. Distinguished leaders and members of our great political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, fellow compatriots!2. I stand here before you today, as a loyal party man who desires
the best for our great party, the PDP. I have done informed study of the
myriad of problems which confronted our political party in the last few
years, especially the one which had cost us several electoral victories
since 2011 and most especially the Presidency in 2015. I have come to
the conclusion that the challenges which face our political party are
not permanent. They could be rectified through a careful deployment of
resources, the willpower and ability to work through difficult
situations, concession and compromises if need be, and ability to move
all our people into one disciplined accord on all matters.
3. I declare before you today to contest for the office of the
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party at the National
Convention which has been slated to hold on the 9th of December, 2017. I
come to this resolve after careful analyses of the challenges
confronting the PDP and on the strength of clear understanding of my
personal ability to provide the needed leadership in our collective
search for solutions.
State of the Nation
3. Let me state that most Nigerians today have come to recognise
that our party, the Peoples Democratic Party midwifed democracy for
Nigeria and the country fared better under our political party.
Regrettably, the people did not vote out our party for want of
performance. We lost out because we miscalculated on certain aspects of
our politics; outside the management of the nation’s economic resources.
We failed to ask some critical questions needed for planning. For
instance, when President Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 as the candidate of
the CPC got less than 5,000 votes in Abia State, we did not ask why?
When in 2011, the 15 states that Muhammadu Buhari had the least votes
came from Southern Nigeria, we did not ask why? When the trend repeated
itself in 2015, who asked why?
4. Again, in 2015 we failed to appreciate that it was not just an
election, it was a referendum. A referendum not for secession, but for
“effective governance”. I hold firmly that more than planning,
leadership needs to ask more questions at all times. Asking the right
questions is what the new leadership of the PDP under my watch will
focus on.
5. Our inability to ask the needed questions at the appropriate
time no doubt affected the fortunes of the PDP and reflected in the
final outcome of the party in the 2015 general elections. For instance,
for every four (4) persons that voted for President Muhammadu Buhari in
the North, he got only 1 vote in the South. Muhammadu Buhari polled
12,374,890 votes from the North and only 3,050,031 from the South. In
2015, during the presidential election, Candidate Muhammadu Buhari
received the least number of votes from the South Eastern region. He got
less than 200,000 votes in an election that had a turn out of more than
2.7 Million people. That was a referendum.
6. The low votes meant that a large number of people did not trust
or want Muhammadu Buhari. That was and is still the fact (evidence from
IPOB and recent restructuring debates from the South.). The various
agitations for restructuring in different parts of the country and in
isolated cases, of calls for secession were a referendum not for
secession, but a referendum on ‘leadership trust’. That is President’s
leadership litmus test.
7. We do not just have enough evidence as to why so many people did
not want Muhammadu Buhari. But the low side of his administration
reveals a bit of possible why. The solution to a national problem cannot
just be in fighting corruption; the solution is to first fight
‘national disunity’.
8. Recently, Prof Ricardo Hausman of the Harvard Kennedy School
concluded a research where he stated “Fighting Corruption will not end
Poverty”. His research showed that improving Government effectiveness
played a significant role in fighting poverty, and that fighting
corruption had an insignificant role in ending poverty.
9. Part of the questions we also failed to ask and provide answers
to was why many young Nigerians became unhappy with our party. The
pattern of the votes reflected not only who people elected as their
President, it more importantly showed who people ‘refused’ to elect as
their President. When the results were finally announced, the evidence
had shown that the priority and fight of the next Nigerian leader
(Muhammadu Buhari) should have been ‘National Acceptance’ before
fighting ‘National Corruption’
10. Let me also say, that today, the difference between the PDP and
APC is in two words ‘Vision’ and ‘Mission’. The PDP has a ‘Vision’ for
Nigeria, while the APC only has a ‘Mission’
11. Like I said, especially in the light of current reality in the
management of our Commonwealth in the present dispensation, Nigeria’s
economy was better managed, under the PDP. For instance, under President
Olusegun Obasanjo’s leadership (1999 – 2007), a government ran by the
PDP, the Nigerian economy grew by 91% (as measured by GDP), while during
the administration of Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua/Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan (2007/2010 – 2014), the economy grew by 24%. That has been the
fastest growth under civilian rule in the history of our great nation,
and it happened under the PDP.
12. Since 2015 however, Nigeria is yet to have an appreciable 12 months of economic growth under the APC. That’s an F9; failure.
13. It is disquieting that the APC led government claim to focus on
fighting corruption, while facts on the ground suggests that Nigeria
has become worse off and sinking low even in graft. For instance, latest
corruption index in Nigeria (2016) according to Transparency
International (the global watchdog for measuring corruption) was 2.8/10.
Before 2015, Nigeria had a P8 in corruption but and A3 in economic
growth, now we have an F9 in both economic growth and corruption.
14. About two months ago, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS),
Nigeria’s number 1 repository of facts and data, revealed that more than
N402 Billion was paid as bribes within the last 12 months. What is N402
Billion? – It is more than the Federal Government’s capital budget for
Defense, Education and Health combined together.
State of PDP
15. Our Party, the Peoples Democratic Party was founded in 1998 on
the wisdom and vision of some of our founding fathers on certain noble
ideals. In 1999, the PDP won 206 out of the 360 seats of the House of
Representatives; 59 out of the 109 seats of the Senate; 21 out of the 36
states Governorship seats and the Presidential position with 62.78% of
the votes cast. In 2003, the fortune of the party soared higher as we
won 223 out of the 360 seats of the House of Representatives; 76 out of
the 109 seats of the Senate; 28 out of the 36 states Governorship seats
and the Presidential position with 61.94%. Similar feats were recorded
in 2007 and 2011 where we won resoundingly across the country. All these
we achieved before we moved away from our guiding principles.
16. One of such guiding principles which defined the essence and
character of our great party was transparency. We showed the world, and
especially Africa, through internal democracy, the exemplary guidelines
on how democracy should be practiced. Our party slogan ‘Power to the
People’ was not just another political catchphrase but one that portrays
our socio-democratic ideology that, beyond the distractions of public
offices and class differences, the ultimate authority of governance does
not rest in the hands of the rulers but the ruled; that the welfare and
indeed wellbeing of Nigerian citizens, including that of our party
members come first before that of any party or political office holders.
17. In the last few weeks I have gone round visiting many of our
leaders and stakeholders. I believe that I have sufficiently interacted
with many of our party leaders, elders and members to have identified
various fault lines which needed closing up so that we can return to the
ideals and vision of our founding fathers. One of my focus as the
National Chairman is to bring back many of our party men who have left.
My ultimate goal is to work towards the victory of our party in the 2019
general elections and in all other elections in between. To achieve
this, I am prepared to work with all leaders of our party, various
interest groups and individuals.
What went wrong?
18. Various reasons have been given about how we got to where we
are. Chief of these are indiscipline and impunity, lack of internal
democracy, imposition of candidates as well as dangerous introduction of
ticket racketeering to unpopular candidates. The alteration of the
time-tested zoning formula and convention also contributed in no small
measure to the undoing of the PDP. A party which was hitherto governed
by ethos and administered by internal conflict management mechanism
based on equity, fairness, transparency and democracy became hostage to
judicial controls only. Today we still carry the scar, and in some
cases, wounds from the misunderstanding and a breakdown in party
discipline and order.
19. But this is not the time to start passing the buck; enough of
the blame games. It is time to move on, up and forward. It is time to
start afresh…I believe, together we can take us there.
20. The Eagle is a very powerful bird. That is why it is the symbol
of our collective national strength. As a political party we also have a
lot to learn from; and take strength from the regenerative energy of
this all-time powerful bird.
21. In my own part of the world in the South West, there is a
believe that the Eagle spends an average of 1000 years, the mythical
immortality of the Eagle is supported by the science which confirms that
at every turn and cycles in years the Eagle finds space in the deep
forests to pluck off its time-worn feathers in the heat, and regenerate.
The truth still is, the same Eagle remains in body and spirit which
represents the legendary never dying and ubiquitous spirits and wisdom
of our elders and founding fathers, which needs from time to time to
regenerate, refresh so that it can live into the next generation. In
other words, we can retain the old and still live in the present and
into the future.
22. Fellow compatriots, the need for a more focused, disciplined
and reinvigorated PDP transcends the desire to merely hold office,
rather it is a clarion call to provide an alternative political platform
to offer distinctive leadership our nation so much desire today. A
platform whose ideology is based on collective governance, all round
inclusive leadership, national unity and economic development. Doing
otherwise will be sending our fatherland to eternal political
condemnation, neo-dictatorship and totalitarianism. This will not only
make mockery of the sacrifices of men and women who paid the ultimate
price so our nation can enjoy the freedom and unity we so much deserve
but equally erode the collective vision of a more prosperous Nigeria.
23. The fate of Nigeria seems intertwined with that of PDP, Nigeria
needs us, the citizens are looking up to us, and we cannot afford to
fail them. I am also proud to say that our Peoples Democratic Party was
and still remains the greatest political party, not only in Nigeria, but
in the entire continent of Africa. We were one big happy family,
representing the greatest hopes and aspirations of most Nigerians.
How do I feel I can do it?
24. I think I am most eminently qualified to correct some of our
mistakes of the near and remote past having served as a Chief Executive
officer of one of the most complex States in Nigeria, Ogun. Having
supervised and won elections twice under the platform of the PDP. I have
conducted and managed not only national elections, but also local
government elections with all their attendant complexities. I have built
a network of personal relationships across the length and breadth of
Nigeria, both in my private capacity as a businessman and public life as
a governor and politician; these networks are expected to come handy in
the process of healing wounds and building bonds and synergies
necessary in rebuilding and refloating the political party. I stand as a
bridge in between a conservatively hostile and restlessly progressive
different and diverse generations. We must harness the abundant energies
of our youth and gain from the timeless wisdom of our elders. The PDP
needs a Chairman that can lead the party to meet the needs, aspirations
and yearnings of young Nigerians.
25. As a professional engineer, I have learnt over the years, both
in the course of training and years of practice that whenever there is a
near system collapse, sometimes we need to reinvent the wheels;
sometimes, we need to pause and go back to default settings, we need to
refresh, recreate and regenerate. And I believe, as a member of the most
prestigious Academy of Engineering in Nigeria, I am equally qualified
in the engineering of default setting and the strength of character to
do what has to be done.
A New PDP is Possible
26. The new PDP leadership is going to fight Poverty like never
before. The judiciary, legislative or several unhappy people are not our
enemies. We have a common enemy in ‘failed promises’. A common enemy in
‘poverty’. A common enemy in ‘high interest and inflation rates; which
by the way is not interesting.
27. Restructuring means different things to different people in
Nigeria. To make it simple, I say we need to “Rethink Nigeria”.
Rethinking Nigeria means our new PDP will focus on what works and less
on what is failing. Added to that is what ought to work that is failing.
In practical terms, we are already in a ‘State of emergency’ in
Poverty. The APC blames the PDP without cross checking the facts;
stopping the policeman from collecting bribe is a good achievement, but
does that improve his policing skills?
28. As at today, the APC has 44 senators from the North, but more
than half have been PDP members. What do all these mean? The APC is
picketing the PDP. It clearly shows that APC is not building leaders.
The PDP built leaders and will continue to do that.
29. Finally, I share in Robin Sharma’s belief that:
“Leadership is no longer about your position. It is now more about a ‘passion for excellence’ and ‘making a difference’.
You can lead without a title. The new PDP leadership under my watch
will keep working towards reducing corruption, but using a different
strategy. Rather than fight other arms of Government, we will promote
national integration. I want to be a leader not just the National
Chairman of the PDP. My role is more important than my title.
30. Our rebuilding Message shall be:
Let us lead together!
Let us serve together!!
Let us follow together!!!
31. We can, we must, and we will definitely start afresh … Together!
God bless the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria!
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
Otunba (Engr.) Justus Gbenga Daniel, FNSE, FAEng.
Governor, Ogun State (2003-2011).
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