FLASHBACK: Saraki, Kwankwaso… those who might be regretting dumping PDP 3 years ago

It is exactly three years since seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a walkout at the party’s special convention ground in Abuja.

The dissidents converged on another venue to constitute a parallel leadership.

Although two of the governors – Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa) – remained in the party, Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) continued with the struggle and eventually teamed up with the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

There is no doubt that their departure contributed to the woeful performance of the PDP in the 2015 general election, with Amaechi particularly embarking on an intense anti-Goodluck Jonathan campaign before going to become director-general of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organsation.

In any course, there are losers and winners. The story of PDP’s losses from that August 31, 2013 rebellion are well-documented; but for a moment, it’s time to focus on those who might be regretting their exit from the party.

BUKOLA SARAKI

Saraki is the first Nigerian senate president to enter the dock over charges bordering on corruption. The last has not been heard of the forgery case brought against him by the federal government.

But he has vowed to fight on till the end, alleging that he is being persecuted by some influential personalities in the party.

Before emerging senate president against the wish of the APC, Saraki might have considered the instance of Aminu Tambuwal, who became speaker of the house of representatives without the support the PDP yet was not publicly humiliated.

Perhaps Saraki’s travails might have made him ask at some point: “Would this have happened to me in my former party?”

RABIU KWANKWASO

Lately, Kwankwaso has been in the news for the wrong reasons. His presidential ambition, which is yet to materalise, might have been his major reason for pulling out of the PDP. But he has managed to end up a senator, representing Kano central at the national assembly. Not entirely a bad showing, huh?

Well, he is facing stiff opposition from the state chapter of the APC, which once threatened to expel him. And just last week, his Kano residence was sealed off by policemen suspected to be acting on the orders of a state government led by someone who was his deputy for eight years. Is there a chance Kwankwaso has missed his former party?

KAWU BARAJE

Baraje led the governors who staged a walkout at the PDP convention, and later became chairman of the New PDP, which was formed ahead of their defection to the APC.

A close associate of Saraki, Baraje has accompanied the number three citizen to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on all occasions.

In April, he issued a note of warning to leaders of the ruling party, saying the issues that made him leave the PDP had started arising in APC. He said the ruling party had performed below expectation since it took over the reins of government.

ATIKU ABUBAKAR

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is one of the most respected politicians in the country. His interest in the topmost office in the land dates back to 1993 when he attempted to clinch the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Since then, Atiku has not relented. Prior to the presidential primary of the APC, political observers believed that even if he lost the ticket to Buhari, it would be by a narrow margin. How wrong they were!

Buhari not only trounced the ex-VP, he came a distant third behind Kwakwanso.

To his credit, it must be said, Atiku kept to the agreement of not leaving the party even if he didn’t stop some of his loyalists from publicly endorsing Jonathan a few weeks to the election.

There have also been reports that he as been at loggerheads with a prominent APC chieftain from the south-west over the chairmanship of the party’s board of trustees.

Now that PDP has zoned the 2019 presidential ticket to the north, would Atiku not be reconsidering his ext from his former party?