PDP: How Not To Play The Opposition Politics

By  Chukwudi Ohiri

The importance of opposition party in any democracy cannot be overemphasized. In fact, any democracy without a formidable opposition is akin to a dictatorship and usually non-performing. This was almost the plight in Nigeria from 1999 when the Fourth Republic began until about a year to the end of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's administration when the All Progressives Congress, APC emerged to keep the Peoples Democratic party, PDP on its toes.

Before then, the PDP had boasted that it was going to rule Nigeria for sixty (not sixteen) uninterrupted years apparently because of the near absence of any formidable opposition. The PDP had a field day running the affairs of Nigeria for the greater part of its sixteen years in power. It led to so much complacency, insensitivity to the plight of the generality of the populace, lack of transparency and exaltation of mediocrity. The high level of misrule by the administrations before that of Dr. Jonathan dwarfed every little effort made by the immediate past administration to better the lot of the generality of Nigerians and put the PDP on the good side of history. Alas, the verdict of the people expressed via the last general election was that PDP, without isolating any of the administrations, has failed the people for 16 years. It was therefore no surprise that the 'change' mantra of the APC, albeit laced with so many utopian propositions, caught the fancy and admiration of many Nigerians. The rest is now history as the APC is now the ruling party while the PDP, willy nilly, has become the main opposition party.

Like a nightmare come through, the mirage of having to play opposition politics has dawned on the PDP ipso facto. Unfortunately, infighting and overstretched blame game has not allowed it to settle down for business o f opposition.

At the moment, Jonathanians and PDP apologists have been ranting on social media and other public fora for a reciprocal measure for the APC led government which adopted as its tactics, a policy of 'see-no-good-PDP' and 'attack any and everything from PDP'. The trending slogan from PDP sympathizers is--'it's payback time for the APC'. The home truth is that should the PDP toe this prescribed line, it would be suicidal and do its reputation and hope to bounce back by 2019 no good. The PDP will be making itself a laughing stock if it chooses to play a politics of 'payback time'.

PDP ought to learn from the outcome of its last campaign strategy anchored on mudslinging, name calling and hate campaigns which literarily boomeranged. Nigerians expected to get a scorecard of the administration's five years stewardship and a roadmap to taking Nigeria to the next level. Conversely, the PDP, banking on the euphoria of being the incumbent failed to showcase its performance to the electorate until the extended six-week period before the elections. By then, it was too late and too short a time to sway and persuade the electorate whose minds was already made up for the smoldering 'change' mantra.

If the PDP must succeed as an opposition party in the Nigerian politics, it must not be hasty in jumping into the social media frenzy of 'payback time politics'. They must leave social media to play the dirty opposition politics of reciprocity and face more serious national discourse. In fact, PDP should embrace what I have christened, 'partnership opposition' whereby it would play the role of proffering alternative strategies to the ruling party rather than criticizing trifles. This was conspicuously and understandably missing under the APC led opposition politics. Such matters as Mrs. Aisha Buhari's wristwatch, First Class ticket of President Buhari, call for immediate visit to Borno, public declaration of assets by the president, Buhari's N2b mansion in Asokoro, Buhari's accent, Buhari's grammar, Buhari's mistake of calling Germany West germany and the ilk should not form the PDP's immediate preoccupation. Instead, it should have a compendium of all campaign promises of the APC juxtaposed with only the realistic expectations of the masses and make it a sing song. It must stand as a watchdog raising alarm if and when some of its hard-earned legacies anre being tampered with. Yes, criticize it must, but let it not hinge on trivialities. Rewriting the APC's script at the National Assembly the other day was a welcome development and a very good way to start provided it was done for national interest and not personal ego or retaliation of the Tambuwal episode of the 7th Assembly.

Clearly, most of APC's campaign promises by its own recent admittances are not only unrealistic, but mere fantasies trumped up to win the hearts of disillusioned and disenchanted Nigerians. Here, the PDP must partner with the APC to put these promises in proper and realistic perspectives in order to win the trust of Nigerians as being honest, factual and deserving of another chance. Doing otherwise might lead to questioning of its moral credentials to demand of the APC, what it could not deliver in sixteen years. This, it must avoid as the APC will be ready to pull this string when the chips are down.

There is the need for unity in the house of the PDP if it must succeed as an opposition party. Bickering and blame game must give way for strategic innovations and crafting of alternative policies for good governance.

Indeed, Nigerians will miss the vibrancy and the fire power of the APC which finally dislodged the PDP. Can the new opposition party repeat and possibly surpass the record of the APC in playing the opposition politics? Opportunities for this feat abound as the APC apparently bit more than they can chew on its way to power. It is left to the PDP to now think outside the box in order to harness this golden chance to make a bold statement in the interest of our dear bleeding nation. Let the opposition game begin now. No to 'payback time politics'. Objectivity should now be the mantra.