How The PDP Lost The 2023 Presidential Elections

There was no question from the outset that Nigerians hungered for a genuine change, not the one they had been promised in 2015. It was very crystal clear and loud.

The longing for a new deal, a new tendency, a new life, and another definite and focused path was palpable, the desperation was visible.

Like a nation crying in unison, Nigerian people turned their Millions of beseeching eyeballs once again to that same party that had deeply disappointed them just a few years ago: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In another desperate attempt to fight once more for their country, they had to turn to this same party that had refused them audience over the years, still hoping that it would be different this time.

Very unfortunately, it was not to be.

Nigerians believe that it was the recklessness, carelessness, corruption, and most importantly, the complacency of the PDP that paved way for an All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in 2015, which has destroyed their country in all areas, making it the poverty capital of the world and a hub of insecurity.

 

Why did the Nigerian people suddenly begin viewing the PDP as an alternative?

 

Have they forgotten all they suffered from this party and also how toothless and lame the PDP had been while the APC punished Nigerians and sent thousands of innocent citizens to their early graves?

Have Nigerians forgotten how millions of them have been plunged into multidimensional poverty by the ruling party.

Did Nigerians suddenly forget how the PDP remained blind to the incompetence and impunity of the APC, while the ordinary citizens became the opposition, challenging the government’s irresponsibility, which has led to many people losing their lives and thousands of our best brains fleeing the country since the APC came to power?

The PDP was aloof when the APC-led government interfered with the freedom of expression of Nigerians by banning the social media platform, Twitter.

The APC government banned Twitter in Nigeria from 5 June 2021 to 13 January 2022. The ordinary citizens intervened and continued to fight and speak up until it was reversed.

The ban happened because the president, Muhammadu Buhari had made a Tweet about the Igbo people, which many Nigerians found offensive and massively reported the tweet, demanding that it be pulled down.

The voice of the people won.

Did Nigerians forget the apparent silence of the PDP on the issues that caused the #EndSARS protests and the attendant #LekkiMassacre of October 2020?

Did Nigerians forget all these?

No.

Far from it.

The masses are aware of the atrocities and deliberate inertness of the PDP which has proved very disastrous and cost countless lives with billions of naira lost.

They only hoped that this time, something good could happen in the place they call their home, which has for more than half a century been their dream destroyer, a nightmare, a total disaster, and a calamity.

Even Peter Obi had hoped that his party, the PDP would do the right thing by zoning the ticket to the South, and most appropriately, to the south East.

At a point, Nigerians were importunate, asking to know the stance of both the PDP and Mr. Peter Obi.

Nigerians wanted and hoped it would be zoned to the south because they knew that no one in the South was more qualified than their preferred candidate, Peter Obi to fly the PDP flag. So, it was taken for granted that the PDP would act accordingly to rescue the country.

The country they called their home has been destroyed by bad leaders and many of them see the PDP as a central part and cause of the problem. But ironically, they wanted to give this same party another precious chance, and not only that; they pledged their unalloyed support to make sure that the PDP took over power in 2023.

This pledge was not only verbalized strongly but, was followed up with one of the loudest demonstrations of seriousness and belief by holding one of the biggest rallies in Nigeria, attended by thousands of hopeful and enthusiastic Nigerians, who want a true change of the status quo.

And that rally had just one prayer: Give Us Peter Obi .

The Guardian NG captured it.

https://guardian.ng/news/give-us-peter-obi-get-10-million-votes-youth-group-tells-pdp/

This plea was made in all honesty and earnestness, prayer was held way before other parties started their primaries about the Nigeria 2023 elections.

The Nigeria voters knew what they wanted and they begged the PDP to give them.

They believed that the PDP was smart enough to see the handwriting on the wall.

Under normal circumstances, and if the PDP had been a people-oriented party that has its ears to the ground, and if the PDP was ready to reclaim power and give “Power to the people”, they’d have seen this single act as an open door.

They’d have seen this as a “blank cheque” to write the highest number of votes they wanted.

The PDP saw all these events and behaviour of the Nigerian youths but ignored it.

We also remember that long before this time, a certain successful young Nigerian had suggested a crowd funding of N10 billion for Peter Obi to execute his campaign. I believe he took it for granted, just like many Nigerians that Peter Obi was going to be the PDP flag bearer.

This was his tweet:

https://twitter.com/seunonigbinde/status/1488591197245526025?s=20&t=Dhdao_vvKRg_u-qZ5ylaFw

However, it was shocking that the People’s Democratic Party Refused Giving Power to the people, despite having a slogan that says “Power to the people”.

Mr. Peter Obi was still a member of the PDP and had even contested alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, so he was not an outsider.

The masses assured the PDP of their votes if they could only present this man as their presidential candidate.

Unfortunately, it would seem that only the common people saw the whole picture and also knew what they wanted.

The PDP chose instead, a candidate who was very instrumental to the demise and ousting of the PDP from power when he joined the opposition to ensure the defeat of the PDP in 2015. Atiku later cried out that he had been side-lined by the APC after helping them to win the elections.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/242606-atiku-cries-buhari-apc-side-lined-i-helped-win-2015-elections.html

Here is also a video of the PDP presidential candidate ,Atiku Abubarkar congratulating Muhamadu Buhari in 2015 after he won the elections

The People’s Democratic Party didn’t see beyond money and fame and even as the people tried to show the way, the Peoples’ Democratic Party chose to be blind and deaf to the sincere yearnings of Nigerians.

The main opportunity came again on April 7th, 2022 in Abuja. On this date,Mr. Peter Obi and the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP BoT) met and had a conversation.

In that meeting, Mr Obi expressly and formally presented himself to the PDP leaders, explained the horrid Nigerian situation to them in very vivid language, and pleaded with them to act wisely and justly to save the country from imminent collapse.

 

He also warned them that, if they made a wrong choice in 2023, many of them would go into exile after the election because of the bad state of the country.

 

He told them that “There’s no money to share. Everything is finished”

 

As he concluded that speech and sat down, there was a thunderous applause and some members were in deep thought. They knew that this was the man they truly needed not only to easily reclaim power but also the man to steer Nigeria from the bush onto the road again.

 

Here’s a video of that meeting

 

While some of them could have sincerely wished to pick this man, many of them thought about the money and other ephemeral considerations, which from all he said and his antecedents, this man did not seem to be ready to satisfy. Some of them also considered ethnicity and religion.

 

From the reactions of the Nigerian people, especially the youths, it’s very clear that Peter Obi represents their aspirations, their dreams, and the realization of the type of country they have always wished to live in.

 

Their reactions to every one of his speeches or tweets show that this is a man the people can’t wait to have as their leader. And this cuts across all religions, social strata, age, and gender. His advent has noticeably created a common front, a powerful unifying factor that has seen an unprecedented unity of purpose among Nigerians across all divides.

 

The diaspora community isn’t left out. Nigerians all over the world are full of hope and, not only are they working hard in whatever ways they can to see this man emerge as the president, they’re taking an active part by supporting those on the ground, those at home, in our communities.

Thousands of social media users have been conducting online audio meetings where strategies are perfected and actionable plans instituted. All are bearing the desired fruit.

 

The PDP didn’t notice how the game changed when the age long voter apathy began to dwindle and later fell off due to the entry of the man in their fold – Peter Obi

 

They should have planned and determined to push this man forward and easily win the elections.

 

Before Mr Peter Obi left the PDP, ordinary Nigerians had known him and seen his works. The people saw him gathering political momentum and believed that giving him the PDP ticket won’t be debatable as the party then had the most popular and the most credible candidate that could be easily sold to the Nigerian population.

 

Unfortunately and ironically, the PDP had a different agenda. Or, they simply could not read the times accurately.

 

The PDP saw all the signs that this member could not only pull the crowd but could win the elections for them. From all indicators, they saw that it was to be a landslide being the only alternative that the masses saw, which made them once again queue behind the PDP.

 

They wanted to consolidate the erroneous and dangerous belief that only a northerner could win an election in Nigeria, which would have permanently, at least until no foreseeable time been taken as fact even as Nigerians act to it.

 

Nigerians in their quest for good governance begged the Peoples Democratic Party to give them a candidate and promised their full support and assurance of loyalty till victory was achieved and the PDP returned to power.

It should have been a clear 2 horse race and the victory of the PDP should have been almost guaranteed even before the elections. Nigerians should have been presented with 2 clear choices.

 

Nigerians who had never voted before suddenly started getting interested in politics. Nigerians who have lost interest in politics and in the elections suddenly started asking about where to give money

 

Thousands of people started donating their shops, houses, warehouses, and offices to Labour Party, not because of any gains but because they’ve for once seen a person they can trust.

 

 

Nigerians for the first time suddenly became interested and enthusiastic for the man and were ready to make any sacrifice to ensure he wins.

 

The PDP saw this but their disdain for the common people blinded their eyes from reading the handwriting on the wall

The PDP got the memo first-hand.

They saw the movement and the words on the street and they had this man, whom the people were already queuing behind, even before the primaries.

A serious political party could have pranced on the opportunity with both hands but not the PDP.

They deliberately became blinded from the reality by their age-long habit of putting money before the people; the PDP bluntly refused and went after the cash.

 

Peter Obi has been consistent in fighting for the PDP even when others were sleeping. He’s here speaking up for the people of the South-South in clear terms and also warning about the APC, which were experiencing today

 

https://twitter.com/omoelerinjare/status/1606832114359492609?t=VaAimiS3Es6Hx_pCqdcIdw&s=19

 

The Peoples Democratic Party had a clear opportunity  to win the 2023 presidential election but they chose to blow it up by not doing the will of the people .They refused to present a candidate who is the peoples” choice, and which was made known to them in very clear terms.

For the PDP, it will be another long medley of self-imposed drought and winter.

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