-By Austen Akhagbeme:

With barely 52 days to the much-awaited 2023 general elections, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, are still in a prolonged dilemma and at loggerhead with the five estranged governors of the party over the resignation of Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

The most recent is a daring step by the five mutinous governors to name the presidential candidate of their choice outside of Atiku Abubakar, who is the party’s presidential flag bearer. This angered the PDP apparatchiks as they threatened to sanction the five “erring” governors; this has become a very complicated decision to take given the circumstances and the forces at play at the moment.

Can a party that had lost personalities like the presidential candidates of NNDP, Engr Rabiu Kwankwaso and that of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi in one year survive the aftermath of public sanctions against 5 serving governors a few months to elections? Obi and Kwankwaso left with their massive goodwill and support from the PDP only this year and that is a minus for the party anyhow we look at it. The very reason for the party to tread softly. Ignoring the lion is better for the tired hunter than shooting at it without hitting the target.

But in all fairness to the Party, it has become very obvious that despite her several overtures and reconciliation missions to these aggrieved governors, the governors remain obdurate in their resolve. Rather, they do much damage to whatever remains of the collective pride of the PDP as a party daily through their caustic and unguarded utterances. But as we all know, every one of them is in a war of survival, nay political relevance. And in a war, foul is fair and vice-versa.

The overwhelming reception that Governor Wike gave to the Labour Party and the promise of ” logistic support” speaks volumes of how far the hearts of these five governors have gone from the PDP and all that it represents.

They have suddenly become obstinate in their course and obdurate in their minds as it is becoming obvious, too, that the party cannot meet their demand. Nevertheless, the party and her drivers should be circumspect and not upturn the apple cart completely. That will spell doom for the party.

• Austen Akhagbeme is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online