AHEAD of the primary elections of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for governorship elections in some states of the federation beginning from next year, Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, has identified lack of internal democracy as one of the greatest challenges facing the party and vowed to tackle the problem before the primaries.
He said indiscipline and lack of due process had militated against the establishment of genuine internal democracy in the party.
According to the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently, governorship elections will be held in Kogi State on December 3, 2011; Adamawa State on January 14, 2012; Bayelsa State on February 11, 2012; Sokoto State on March 10, 2012; Cross River State on April 14, 2012; while that of Edo State will come on July 14, 2012.
Baraje, who spoke at the weekend shortly before he left for hajj in Saudi Arabia, noted that internal discipline is a key to the party's dream of becoming Nigeria's flagship political organisation of the future.
He stressed that he would want his tenure to be evaluated and assessed by his commitment to the preservation of justice and adherence to due process and rule of law. According to him, the National Working Committee, which he currently leads, inherited a party that was bedevilled by indiscipline and devastated by lack of internal democracy. But he noted that the efforts that were made to restore due process and rule of law had succeeded in yielding considerable results.
"What we need to achieve now is to ensure that people are treated in accordance with laid-down regulations of the party and grievances are treated in accordance with the party's constitution so that people will have confidence in the party and its leadership instead of rushing to the courts whenever they have even the slightest issues," he said.
"We have been experiencing irregular incidents in the party in the recent past. There had also been irregular solutions with unpalatable outcomes for members thereby creating a situation of agitation, displeasure and discontentment. When people are bottled up for a long time, they resort to gross violation of law and due process. This is why you see our members take the law into their hands by going to courts without necessarily following the due process stipulated by our constitution. I want to assure our members that that era is gone," he said.
The National Chairman also promised to make adequate consultation his prime policy as a means of boosting communication, cohesion and integration in the party. He tasked party members that while due process would receive adequate attention under his watch, they should always endeavour to explore all laid-down procedures and respect party decisions in the interest of the oneness of the party.
"The party is supreme. A party that takes a decision today that appears as if it is against you, it is in the interest of the oneness of the party. If you don't' win an election today and the party says you did not win, let whoever wins go. You will win tomorrow," he stated, adding that his current leadership of the party will bear bold
hallmarks of fairness to all members as well as firmness in all
decisions.
"We will be free, fair to everybody or group of people in the party.
The party can only be disciplined if they see you to be fair and they will respect your judgment. If anyone is guilty of party disloyalty or lack of respect for our due process or rule of law or our constitution, that person will be disciplined accordingly no matter who that person is. Erring members will not escape punishment no matter how highly placed. We will also reward people no matter how lowly placed", he said.
He reiterated his commitment to uphold the tenets of electoral
integrity, probity and transparency in the country in line with
President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda, saying:
"My mission is to provide a leadership that holds justice to all so
that after we have succeeded in establishing a tradition of free, fair
and credible electoral behavior and total adherence to the rule of law and the constitution of the party, it will be difficult for any set of executives or leaders of the party to change it."
The Guardian