PDP descending into a party of shame, says Orubebe

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, has urged the party to
embrace urgent reforms to prevent its demise.

He lamented that the PDP “is still lost in depression and
suffering from a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), adding that
the platform had crossed the bridge from pride to shame.”

Orubebe noted that imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed
were responsible for the party’s electoral defeat in 2015,
stressing that the crisis rocking the platform was compounded by
the mishandling of its last national convention.

The party stalwart, who caused a stir during the collation of
the 2015 presidential election results by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, said the PDP would need
vigour, courage and sustainable ideas to bounce back to
reckoning.

In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche
Secondus, published in this edition, the former minister said the
party must accept that it made mistakes while in power for 16
years.

Chiding the party for not living up to expectation as a leading
opposition platform, he said: “We have gone from a party of pride
to a party of shame and gradually receding into the abyss of
political reality. For the simple reason that the nation is
witnessing calls for the rise of a “third force,” we are fast
becoming a shadow of ourselves.”

In Orubebe’s reckoning, the PDP had regressed to the same
imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed that heralded its
electoral misfortune, adding that its leaders are not building a
culture of democratic representation.

Referring to the domineering role of the PDP governors, he said
“the party is gradually coming under the control of certain
individuals, who are exhibiting dangerous levels of undemocratic
behaviours.”

The former minister said unless the grandstanding and imposition
gave way to a healthy competition, the party could avert a looming
doom.

He said the party should be liberated from the jaw of its
exclusive funders, who have held it hostage.

Orubebe said: One of the biggest challenges that the PDP faces
is balancing its needs for funding with established egalitarian
values and internal systems. If the party continues to be held
hostage by few major donors, it will continue to find it difficult
to instil the values that will endear us Nigerians.

“We must take our appeal to Nigerians and through our reforms,
let the party truly become a people-funded party. Small donations
from millions of Nigerians will go a long way in the party’s finan
cial requirements and will create the necessary atmosphere for true
ownership among members of the party.”

Urging the party leadership to embrace reforms, Orubebe said the
leadership should re-organise to break down the silos of loyalty
and allegiance within the party.

He added: “It is my expectation that the necessary reforms will
be put in place before it is too late to salvage what we have
left.”

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, has urged the party to
embrace urgent reforms to prevent its demise.

He lamented that the PDP “is still lost in depression and
suffering from a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), adding that
the platform had crossed the bridge from pride to shame.”

Orubebe noted that imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed
were responsible for the party’s electoral defeat in 2015,
stressing that the crisis rocking the platform was compounded by
the mishandling of its last national convention.

The party stalwart, who caused a stir during the collation of
the 2015 presidential election results by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, said the PDP would need
vigour, courage and sustainable ideas to bounce back to
reckoning.

In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche
Secondus, published in this edition, the former minister said the
party must accept that it made mistakes while in power for 16
years.

Chiding the party for not living up to expectation as a leading
opposition platform, he said: “We have gone from a party of pride
to a party of shame and gradually receding into the abyss of
political reality. For the simple reason that the nation is
witnessing calls for the rise of a “third force,” we are fast
becoming a shadow of ourselves.”

In Orubebe’s reckoning, the PDP had regressed to the same
imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed that heralded its
electoral misfortune, adding that its leaders are not building a
culture of democratic representation.

Referring to the domineering role of the PDP governors, he said
“the party is gradually coming under the control of certain
individuals, who are exhibiting dangerous levels of undemocratic
behaviours.”

The former minister said unless the grandstanding and imposition
gave way to a healthy competition, the party could avert a looming
doom.

He said the party should be liberated from the jaw of its
exclusive funders, who have held it hostage.

Orubebe said: One of the biggest challenges that the PDP faces
is balancing its needs for funding with established egalitarian
values and internal systems. If the party continues to be held
hostage by few major donors, it will continue to find it difficult
to instil the values that will endear us Nigerians.

“We must take our appeal to Nigerians and through our reforms,
let the party truly become a people-funded party. Small donations
from millions of Nigerians will go a long way in the party’s finan
cial requirements and will create the necessary atmosphere for true
ownership among members of the party.”

Urging the party leadership to embrace reforms, Orubebe said the
leadership should re-organise to break down the silos of loyalty
and allegiance within the party.

He added: “It is my expectation that the necessary reforms will
be put in place before it is too late to salvage what we have
left.”