Cross River APC: Poised To Harvest From PDP’s Squabbles

With less than four months to the 2015 General elections and the recent rambling within PDP in an internal election, it is important to take a look at the variables that may give the opposition All Progressive congress(APC) victory over the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the governorship election in Cross River.

Since 1999, opposition parties in Cross River have always been seen as toothless bull dogs that can bark but cannot bite. Over the years, the general belief had always been that the State is PDP dominated with the opposition parties considered to be docile, disorganized and lacking the competitive spirit and resources to win elections in the state. Before now, one could hardly even notice the presence of the opposition. The cause of their seeming docility and inactivity had always been leadership crisis, poor funding and lack of strong political structures across the state. These and many more had always made the PDP to coast home to victory. The ruling party could even go to sleep with the strong confidence that at any point in time they can thump, humiliate and floor opposition parties in the contest for elective positions in the state.

With the merger of the then Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), ( which was the only visible opposition party in the state), with other opposition parties to form form the mega party- All Progressive Congress(APC), the ruling PDP’s dominance in the politics of the state seems to be fast eroding. This is due to the contending interest and crisis in the ruling PDP; a situation political analyst believe will be the greatest undoing of the ruling party in next year’s election. Although the APC had also had their own fare share of leadership crisis but with the swift intervention of the leadership of the Party in the South-South, harmony within the party is said to have been restored. Also, the emergence of a new team of credible leaders of the party headed by Pastor Usani Usani who has always insisted on strict adherence to the rule of law is said to be a plus to the party.

The APC Chairman, who took over the helm of affairs soon after the controversial congresses of the party, says he has however taken drastic steps to weed the party of bad eggs and as revived the competitive spirit of the party and repositioned it for victory in 2015.

The APC is now said to have greater grass root support than the ruling party. The reasons are not far-fetched as the party in preparation for next year’s election had early this year embarked on massive grass root mobilization and registration of members. As at last count, the party was said to have registered about 300 thousand members. But one ponders. Will all these indices be the deciding factor in 2015?

Pundits however believe that a lot of factors would determine where the power pendulum will swing to in the 2015 governorship election in the state.

INTERNAL WRANGLING AND IN-FIGHTING IN THE RULING PDP

Going into an election of such magnitude requires unity and harmony, but as it stands, the PDP is completely polarized and may go into next year’s election with a divided house while the APC at the moment seems to be working in unison. There are no known internal crises in the APC. Due to this, political watchers say the APC may have the upper hand since it is not going into the election with a divided house. But would that guarantee them victory? Time will tell.

FUNDING

Before now, funding had been the bane of opposition politics in Cross River. To this, a chieftain of the APC told TNN in an exclusive chat in Calabar that “gone are the days when funding was a major challenge to opposition politics in Cross River. This time around the issue of paucity of funds or lack of money to inject into electioneering campaign is completely out of the question as the National echelon of the party and some big wigs of the party in the state who has seen reason why the APC should take the lead are up to tackle the issue of funding”. This is even the APC in Cross River is alleged to be massively funded by governors of APC states. Owing to this, some say the APC can now match the PDP money for money and could wrestle power out of the ruling party.

Conflict of interest and pending litigations

The contending interest and rancor within the ruling party arising from the controversial ward congresses is also said to be a major factor that may deny them victory in 2015. As it stands, the PDP is completely polarized as the party had in the last few months witnessed serious internal crisis and in-fighting with intractable litigations taking centre stage. The PDP are at the moment working at cross purposes with various opposing camps fighting to grab power at all cost. For instance, the camp of the State governor seems to have vowed not to relinquish power to some group of persons who are opposed to him. The APC at the moment has no pending litigation against it. They are said to be united. The leadership of the party seems to be enjoying a good relationship with its members; a situation many believe has made the party stronger for the titanic battle against the ruling party.

DEFECTIONS

It is most likely that aggrieved members of the PDP who may be denied ticket to run elections may defect, in large numbers, to the APC. Already, some top aspirants in the PDP are allegedly said to pitching tents with the opposition party in a bid to secure tickets to contest in 2015. TNN gathered from a top source in the APC that Senatorial aspirants, governorship aspirants, House of Representatives aspirants and others are making plans to cross over to the ruling party soon. The source who spoke exclusively to TNN said, “I can assure you that in the next few days you will witness mass defection of PDP members to the APC because already many of them have come to meet with the leadership of our party”. Analyst say this will further weaken the ruling party and provide the leeway for the APC to coast home to victory.
But can the APC break the jinx by capitalizing on the shortcomings of the ruling party in 2015? The answer to these questions will be answered at the polls.

 UBONG INYANG, a Journalist is our frequent contributor and writes from Calabar.