John Adams, Minna

If the recent “unity rally” by the Niger State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is anything to go by, then, it appears the party that was bedevilled with a number of crisis after the 2015 general elections may have overcome its challenges ahead 2019.

The party in the last two months has had what it called “unity rally” in two out of the three senatorial zones in the state which took place in Agaie  local government in zone A and Paikoro local government in zone B.

The turnout of party supporters and officials at these rallies is an indication that the party appears poised to tackle the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Like in most states of the country, in 2015, the Muhammadu Buhari hurricane swept off the then ruling PDP from office in Niger State after holding on to power  for 16 years.

Apart from its national leadership crisis which resulted in one of the longest legal battle by any political party in the history of the country, the Niger State PDP was confronted with the death of one of its great leaders and the pillar of the party in the state, late former governor, Abdulkadri Kure.

The death of Kure, who political watchers saw as a rallying point, further dampened the morale of the majority of the party members and it was assumed that the party would have a difficult task making any impact at regaining the power it lost in 2015 come 2019.

Additionally, some of the party members pitched tent with the ruling APC while some of them took side with the then Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, yet others preferred to maintain the “siddon look” attitude.

For some time the party was unable to find its feet even after its local and state congresses brought new leadership on board owning to reservations expressed by some members over the outcome of these congresses.

However, after the Supreme Court verdict and the national convention, the party began to breathe a new air of relief across the country. In Niger, for example, the party is now able to reassemble itself under the leadership of Tanko Beji, the state chairman of the party, resulting in those that left the party now finding their way back to the party.

One cheering development in the party in the state is that thousands of members of the APC in the three senatorial zones of the state have already defected to the PDP.

Also some of those that left as a result of the crisis, used the opportunity of the “unity rally” to reunite with the party while the tempo of activities at state and local government secretariat of the party have picked up with beehive of activities.

All the new members and defectors, totalling about 15,000 were presented to the party supporters at the two well attended zonal rallies held in Agaie and Paikoro councils.

“We initially planned to receive all those that have seen the light and decided to join us but the arrangements for the national convention did not allow the plan to materialise. We have now decided to hold the unity rallies at zonal levels after the convention starting with zone A which was held in Agaie and that of zone B in Paiko”, the party chairman, Tanko Beji said.

The “Unity Rallies” according to the him, was meant to bring together party faithful, old and new members so as to sound it loud and clear that the fact that the party is back in full force, was not a fluke.

The “unity rally” provided an avenue for all its serving and former legislators at national and state assemblies, former governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former ministers including Ambassadors to come together under  once again to chart a new direction for the acclaimed “biggest “party in Africa.

Though the “Unity rally” was meant to reunite the party faithful, it was also an opportunity for gubernatorial aspirants and others with intention to contest the 2019 election on the party’s platform to sell themselves, not only to the state and national leaderships but the populace.

The huge crowd at the two rallies so far, it is gathered is enough to send a serious warning signal to the ruling APC in the state that the 2019 general elections will not be a bed of roses, the chairman further said.

 Investigations further revealed that  the APC with the demeanour of the PDP faithful and new zeal shown by the leadership at the rally indicate also that the APC as a party will do more than depend on President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s popularity as it were in 2015 to be able to retain power in the state come  next year.

With the current crisis in the APC in the state and the disenchantment by the people in the state over the quality of leadership provided by the APC administration in three years, PDP appears to stand a good chance of reclaiming the power it lost in 2015 in the state.

Notable elected members of the APC had in recent time taken a swipe at the way the governor, Sani Bello has handled the affairs of the state in terms of fulfilling the campaign promises to the people, describing the performance of the administration as “not impressive”.

Prominent among the critics of the administration is Senator David Umoru, representing Niger East senatorial zone. He submitted that the APC administration in the state has failed the people and therefore should not be talking about re-election.

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According to him, he said “the APC administration in Niger State has performed badly to the extent that we should not be talking about second term. There is virtually nothing on ground to justify second term for the administration. Today I feel ashamed for working to enthrone this administration”.

The lawmaker was of the opinion that the party should make amends and give the people deserved developments instead of occupying itself with endorsement of those who do not deserve second term in office.

Senator Umoru is not the only one who believed that the APC administration in the state has failed the people. Adamu Chika, representing Rafi/ Shiroro/ Munya constituency also said that all was not well with the party in the state.

He strongly warned that the governor’s handling of the affairs of the party and the state in general would greatly work against the party in the next year’s general election.

Chika, in a letter to the state party executive, which he copied the national secretariat and National Assembly members, pointed out that if things continue this way, he would not contest the 2019 election because “the future of the party is not bright in the state”.

He drew the attention of the party to what he called lack of cordiality between the government and the federal legislators from the state, insisting that such development is not good for the party.

While signifying his intention not to seek re-election in 2019 due to the battered image of the party in the state, Chika said he decision was “in line with the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that any person seeking to be appointed or elected into public office should be rejected, especially now that there is eroding public office trust in legislators of the National Assembly”.

Interestingly, at the PDP rally, there was also cheering news from the national chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, who vowed that he would be fair to all stakeholders of the party in decision making process notwithstanding the area of the country they come from or period spent in the party.

He therefore pledged that the party in the run up to the 2019 general elections would avoid impunity and imposition of candidates at all levels.

Secondus, who was represented by the National Financial Secretary of the party, Abdullahi Maibasira, also assured party faithful that the new leadership of the party would ensure transparency and accountability in all that it would do even as he also assured that “every stakeholder will be carried along in decision making”.

“My leadership will be fair to all so that we will win the 2019 general elections at all levels”, Chief Secondus declared, even as he  assured Nigerians that a PDP government at states and federal levels would fight hunger, poverty and insecurity which he described as major problems facing Nigerians today.

Former governor of the state, Dr. Babangida Aliyu who also addressed the rally, told party supporters that the PDP  is now  prepared to tackle head-on, the ruling APC in the 2019 general elections in the state and the country at large.

In his speech which was frequently  interrupted with the shouting of the party’s new slogan of “change the change”  by the enthusiastic crowd, Aliyu said “We will resist any form of intimidation put on our way to reclaiming power at all levels of governance in the country”.

The two term governor of the state told the party supporters that already a committee has been put in place to ensure victory for the PDP next year, adding that the membership of the party would soon be unveiled.

He therefore charged the party members across the state to be united so as to be able to confront the ruling APC with one voice.

The former governor also warned party faithful against cross carpeting after the primary election saying that those who remained “despite pains and humiliation” would be “applauded and compensated” in the future.

In a veiled reference to the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in the Niger East senatorial zone and the inability of the APC government in the state to pay the pension and gratuities of retirees, Aliyu reminded the people of the state that his eight year administration in Niger State had respect for the traditional institution because of their “crucial roles in the society” and that he never left salary arrears for the new APC government to settle.

The state chairman of the party,  Beji in his speech, told all the defectors  from the APC to give PDP another chance, especially now that the APC has failed Nigerians.

He tendered apology for the past mistakes of the party which he said foisted the APC on the people of the state saying “we have learnt our lessons”.

He therefore urged the party supporters to obtain their voter cards to enable them vote out the APC in 2019.

Beji said the only projects visible in the state like roads, schools, hospitals, clinics and housing estates were those constructed by past PDP governments adding that this is in spite of the huge resources available to the APC government.