Former Foreign Minister Sule Lamido said the continuing challenges facing his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were partly the result of the 2007 split between northern leaders. .
Mr. Lamido, a long-time member of the PDP since its inception, was asked in a recent interview why he remains loyal to the party despite the ongoing crisis within the affiliated camp. .
Explaining the reasons for his position and views on the current situation of the PDP, the former Jigawa State Governor said: “Understanding the true nature of PDP can pose a challenge for individuals under the age of 30. We are discussing a timeline that spans multiple time periods. From 1998 to the present, approximately 30 People who were around 10 years old at the time are now in their early 30s.
“Articulating the philosophy of the PDP is therefore complex and emphasizes the importance of historical context. The current state of the party cannot be assessed without considering its origins and development. 1998, Nigeria was facing a serious crisis of trust and unity.As a federation, we lost faith in each other and this caused great division within the country.
“This division is largely a result of the annulment of the June 12 election, which was recognized as the fairest and most transparent election in Nigeria’s history. It showed that Nigerians can come together around a common vision. The candidate, Mr. Abiola, was from the South, and his running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe, was from the North, and both were Muslims.This unprecedented unification was an important milestone for Nigeria.
“Mr Abiola won the election fairly and Nigerians felt a sense of unity across regions and religions. Then suddenly the election was annulled and people started questioning why – Yoruba candidates Interestingly, many Yoruba people did not initially support Abiola. They felt some kind of resentment toward Mr. Kubiola, probably because he was a former opponent of Chief Obafemi Awolowo under the NPN, so even though he won. , some in the Yoruba community did not necessarily consider him their representative.
“Once the elections were annulled, certain groups like Afenifere and other Yoruba elders who had not actively supported June 12 began to claim victory as part of ‘Yoruba politics’. But in reality, Abiola’s victory was about the unity of Nigerians and not about regional interests. This misappropriation laid part of the foundation for the problems we see today.
“When PDP was formed, we thought about how to restore the confidence of Nigerians that had been shattered by the June 12 crisis. At that time, the focus was not on infrastructure or economic policy; The goal was to rebuild the country as a unified nation, a place where people could trust each other again.
Asked whether the PDP has succeeded in restoring its credibility, Mr Lamido said: “When we founded PDP, we We decided that it was a top priority to address the crisis of trust caused by the fact that political offices are usually not assigned such a role by majority rule. But we need to heal our wounds. We found it necessary to temporarily set aside our strict democratic principles. We therefore made a symbolic gesture to appease the Yoruba people for the pain caused by June 12th. As a statement of intent, we have decided to locate the seat of the president in the southwest.”
“At that time, Baba (Oluusegun Obasanjo) was in prison and we saw him as someone who was above the interests of the community. Some of the Yoruba leaders were Olu Falae, Pa Adesanya, There were options such as Bola Ige, but they were primarily tribal leaders. Obasanjo, by contrast, was widely seen as a nationalist, someone who fought a civil war and helped restore democracy. He became the face of this reconciliation effort because he thought he could symbolize it.
Even though Obasanjo became president, some Yoruba people expected him to act primarily as a Yoruba leader and criticized him for not prioritizing Yoruba interests. But Obasanjo insisted his focus was on Nigeria as a whole, not ethnic issues. He served two terms, but resisted attempts to extend his term.
“During his presidency, he succeeded in stabilizing the country within a few years. The economy began to recover and Nigeria embarked on a new path to recovery. With real ambition, the focus was on addressing fundamental human problems and development. In other words, the PDP accomplished something almost impossible in Nigeria: to restore Nigeria. ” the former governor told Daily Trust.
In response to an interview question about whether part of the reason he remains with the PDP despite the current crisis is because of its history, Lamido said: By Obasanjo’s third year in office, the country had stabilized and some former allies felt he should step down after four years to make way for someone else. This marked the beginning of tensions in the country, and even among his aides and former military colleagues began to oppose him.
“There was a man who worked hard to restore the unity of Nigeria, but who wanted a second term and faced resistance. He has been weakened and is reportedly trying to secure a second chance. I heard that he was forced to humble himself.”
Clarifying whether the claims about Mr. Obasanjo announcing his next candidacy were true or mere speculation, he said: Is there a second season? I’m just remembering history here, not trying to embarrass anyone. ”
He added: “To understand today, we need to look back at what happened yesterday. Obasanjo eventually got the ticket, but in humiliating circumstances. This man is a former general; He was treated this way even though he was the head of state. Considering the sacrifices he made for Nigeria, he was allowed to serve two full terms and retire at the end of his term. I felt that it should be done.
“By the time he was in his second term, he might have been thinking, ‘If I barely make it through the first term, what if I quit?’ The human instinct to secure his legacy kicked in. It is.”
Asked whether he encouraged the former president to pursue a third term, Lamido said: I believe that everything he has done for Nigeria, from stabilizing Nigeria to resolving Europe’s debt crisis, deserves recognition. ”
Obasanjo attempted term.
Asked whether Mr. Obasanjo had attempted a third term in office, the former governor said: I heard him justify it by saying, “If I leave now, with only four months left, I will be betrayed by the people I thought were my allies.” Perhaps that is why he sought a third term. But that fell apart and Yar’Adua was brought on.
“Yaraldua had strong leadership qualities and came from a respected family, and those who fought against him were northerners who were allies of his late brother. In 2007, the PDP controlled more than 25 states. Although it was a powerful force in control, Buhari had no base.However, Buhari claimed victory over the PDP and challenged the result all the way to the Supreme Court. I started to see it.”
(Are you saying that the rift in North Korea is behind the current weakness of the PDP?
“That’s part of it. Yar’Adua won but died, and then we saw crisis after crisis, many of them from within. By 2014, prominent PDP members defected to the APC. and attacked the PDP as corrupt and divisive. They were former governors, ambassadors and even former presidents.
“If you look at the election results of 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, the PDP outperformed all other political parties combined. But in 2015, it was the former PDP who turned to the APC that toppled the PDP. He was a party member,” Lamido pointed out.
We are working underground for the next election.
Mr. Lamido spoke about the crisis that remains within the PDP and how he plans to bring disgruntled members back into the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, working with other stakeholders to restore the former ruling party. He said that he is working underground for this purpose.
He said, “God will be able to touch their hearts and restore their dignity and sense of responsibility to understand that their actions will impact Nigeria’s history and future.” I believe it is possible.
“We are working, but we are keeping our strategies private. We are praying and working underground for the revival of the PDP, not for personal gain, but for the good of Nigeria. The people of Nigeria. is suffering because of PDP’s past failures.
