The new democracy in Nigeria is partly being scuttled by PDP.At its inception,the ideology is very good and its foundation members are though diverse but very detemined.But lack of internal democracy,vision,respect for rule of law,desperation to rule at all cost,adequate screening for its flagbearers,etc has now turned the party and Nigeria at large to laughing stock.All former military governors,appointees,lobbyists, and co-horts are card-carrying members of PDP.They seem to believe it is the party that reperesent their ideal looting,money lundering,fraud etc.

The failure of PDP is however a great sign for other parties.The emergence of LP,PPA,AGPA etc(which are formed by former PDP members) is as a result of ther need to better the lots of PDP.While some were forced out of the party(Orji Uzor kalu,Lar etc) others felt the party has lost its focus and as such is no more ready to relieve the sufferings of the people.

AC for now has been able to emerge as a credible opposition party with great vision,ideology,respect for rule of law,smooth internal democracy,etc probably because of its small size and quality of its leaders.Governors elected under its banner are the best in the country right now(especially fashola or Lagos state) and it(AC) is still the party to beat in South-West.

Obasanjo used everything in his disposal to drown AC especially in Lagos state but failed woefully.The eventual governor is now the only good news emanating from Nigeria's politics and polity.Post-election feelers,observers and reportes in Osun and Ekiti states belived that AC won in both states but PDP rigged its way into office.Most glaring is the recent Ekiti debacle where independent observers,AC and ANPP supporters were lynched by PDP thugs in different parts of the city including within the Government House.

Oshiomole from Edo State however got his mandate from the Court and has started to run the state they way it should be after 10 years of misrule by the PDP.

Kano State governor is another "last man standing".He won the seat on the flag of ANPP and has refused the bandwagon of defectors to the ruling PDP.He is ruling the cosmoplitan city with vision and purpose.He brings governance to everybody in the mainly hausa speaking but multi-cultured city and this endeared him to the minds of his people. All these and many more makes the forthcoming 2011 elections more interesting.For one,the popularity of PDP will be tested in Anambra state which has its guber elections in 2010.With its array of highly qualified aspirants,the party may be confronted with a big problem of nominating a credible and aCCEPTABLE candidate that will word off stiff but determined and well grounded opposition from ETiaba of the PPA and the incumbent Peter Obi of the APGA.Etiaba's mother(Dim Virgy Etiaba) is however the incumbent Deputy Governor.Etiaba himself was a commissioner in the Obi-led govt but resigned and decamped to PPA to pursue his governorship ambition.

Bolstered by its landmark success in Lagos,its judicial success in Edo and hope of victory in Ekiti,AC has the impetus and might to aggressively campaign for votes in Oyo,Delta,Kogi,Kwara and Ondo states. In order to increase the number of states its umbrella come 2011.

The Ekiti tribunal is almost going AC's way because of the array of evidences emanating from everywhere.With the aim of doing justice and rightly so,the tribunal judge as vowed to allow all neccesary evidence that will aid his eventual decision.He believes voters will should not scuttled and as such will ensure that whoever go the highest vote will be accorded.

Ogun state is however a greener pasture for the AC as the PDP is embroiled in a serious in-fighting and the former President's daughter is not makings easier for the incumbent governor.Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello's arrogance and lack of respect as displayed by her frequent walk-out parade on Otunba Ggenga Daniel(OGD) is an indication of an un-ending crisis.Despite serving as a Commissioner under OGD,Obasanjo-bello's pride,arrogance and blinding ambitions has ballooned.Feelers believe that on expiration of his 2nd term,Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD)will have left a fractured PDP because of his affiliation with AFENIFERE.This will work well for both AC and ANPP which are both well grounded and mobilised in the rocky state.Some were even suggesting that OGD will decamp to AC and fund the flagbearer of the party for the comng 2011 elections.This will be a hard nut to crack as the current Speaker of the House Of assembly,Dimeji Bankole is also nursing a governorship ambition.Young,educated,vibrant,focused and definitely a progressive,the odds are that the PDP will not give up the Olumo Rock Government House without a bruising fight.

Alao-Akala of Oyo state is pursuing his 2nd term but fractured AC factions are joining forces to make this impossible.Disenfranchised former AC leaders in the state are returning to the party to form a great alliance prior to the 2011 elections.Those who went to PDP to support OBJ's 2nd term are now returning back to AC to concretise plans to unseat the incumbent governor.Alao-akala however is optimistic of his success come 2011.He seems to enjoy good support from his people and his pursuing programs to better their lot.But if that is enough to earn him a 2nd term,is what we are not certain of.The former police officer from Ogbomosho will have to wait till 2011 to know his fate.

Dr. Mimiko and his Labour party as always surprised me.Being an integral part of Segun Agagu's administration as SSG,Mimiko decamped to LP taking along his loyalists and neglected PDP members to pursue his guber ambition.Agagu rigged its way into office but was sent packing by the Judiciary following violence in areas of Agagu stronghold.Mimiko came into office with so much promise and iimmediately went after his predecessor.He has stopped almost all controversial contracts awarded by agagu,declared the state is indebted to the tune of N117b(which was hotly contested by agagu) and continues to go after Agagu's politics and polity.While most believed Agagu failed both as a Governor and Minister,Mimiko's ranks has swollen in tripple fold.His LP won the recent State House Of Assembly bye-election in Akure North Constituency with over 90% of votes casted leaving the remaining 10% for the remaining parties to share.He hoowever needs to do more to better the lives of the Ondo people.Some of the projects embarked upon by his predecessor might be controversial and inflated but are meant for the betterment of the populace.Those that are noteworthy should be continued while those unneccesary should be discarded.Failure to impact positively the lives of the enlightened Ondo people is an antedote to destruction.AC's vibrancy and success in neighbouring Ekiti state can spread over making 2nd term ambition for him impossible.PDP however is still waiting on the sideline and preparing seriously for next election.Alasoadura (a PDP stalwart)boasted recently of being ready to spent over N2b to unseat Mimiko in the coming election.He forgot that Agagu spent more but was still unseated by the Judiciary.Obasanjio and Olabode -George spent the same amount on lagos state but lost woefullly to cash-strapped AC.Money might be the root of all evil but definitely will not buy you all you want and want.Nothing brings in more votes than a branded name,people-oriented projects and general good performance while in office.

As a political observer and commentator,I am seriously looking forward to 2011.

This article is also available on olafolarin.blog.com

Robot  # 1 | 02.10.2009 08:10

...Read the full article.