PDP SECRETARIAT INFERNO AND IMPLICATIONS

Sometimes later in the week would make it a fortnight that a portion of the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s ruling party (and the self-acclaimed largest political party in Africa), went up in flames. It was one of my busy weeks so I could not air my view on the ‘mysterious fire which is under investigation’ (kudos to the Police).

It actually a sight to behold when I saw the stuff on National TV. I just felt blank initially before the funny thoughts started coming over me. They didn’t overcome me though.

Now, if you are religious, you must be having some tingly feelings by now. I actually don’t understand why it should be PDP’s Secretariat that went up in flames and not the National Secretariat of one of those lesser parties that have already been sucked dry by PDP and would have gladly welcomed the inferno as something to hide under for their final collapse.

On second thought however, I remembered the factor of the creator, the one who powers the universe. He has his ways of warning us beforehand of things that may happen if we do or do not take some steps.

I’ve had varying points of view as per that fire incident. I think I should bore you with some of them if you wouldn’t mind.

PDP had that fire incident not because it’s the ruling party in Nigeria or being the most powerful and richest, it could afford rebuilding. It was simply the handwriting on the wall. Need I say that PDP is today the biggest beneficiary of deregulation? That party of course benefited immensely from the deregulation of political parties (from three to almost fifty) in Nigeria as masterminded by Aremu, the Ebora of Owu, while he held sway as Nigeria’s numero uno.

That ‘small’ fire at least gives the umbrella-symbolized party a big chance to upgrade its National Secretariat. At least a Yoruba adage translates as ‘the palace that goes up in flames only ends up regaining its beauty and more’.

PDP have the chance to give their Wadata Plaza Secretariat a face-lift ahead of next year’s general elections. They can show us how they will rebuild a battered and well burnt Nigeria after many years of misrule starting from the very first set of politicians of the pre-independence era, the independence era politicians, the military and they themselves. Let them use Wadata Plaza’s rebuilding as an example of what they can do.

That aside, has anyone thought of the fire as a warning to the Nigerian political class? Those politicians whose talents are not hidden, who put their talent to ominous use in lying and deceiving the ‘gullible, hopeful and trusting’ lot that we citizens of Mama Naija are. That could be it or how does one explain the fire that didn’t gut the Secretariat of one of those regional and hungry political parties but chose to ‘show some skill’ on the biggest of them all?

Some politicians would by now be cursing under their breaths, casting aspersions on me for ranking them regional and hungry, or ever having the audacity to group them with the ‘evil PDP’, a party of thugs and assassins. Help me ask them if they are not all the same or won’t even be worse. Ask them if they’re not being level-headed now because they are not in power. Ask them if they’ll do any better than their fellow ‘bad news’ that is in power.

That fire is a warning; a warning to both the ruling and political class that “Lo and Behold, I am coming and my reward cometh with me, to give unto every man (party and its members) according to his deeds”. Politicians or whatever name you deaf sons of perdition call yourselves, you know where you stand if the fire burns today. From the innermost part of you, you can say how the fire will decorate you, whether it will reward you well or not.

Years back Daddy Showkey; the popular Ghetto Soldier did a song about fire burning all the bad people. As a ruler, where do you stand? Ask yourself honestly; make a very honest assessment of yourself.

That fire might have been telling PDP that their end was near. It could’ve been saying to PDP to take heed and not miss it in 2011. The fire may have come from hell, warning them to sit up or find their Secretariat burnt, their big umbrella (which can contain everyone) and leave their members charred beyond recognition.

I want to see ten members of the ruling party and ten other members of the opposition who would swear by the most effective means, that they’re in it for real, that they’re in it to better the lot of the people.

I stand to be corrected but I don’t see any other party standing up to PDP in the Presidential elections. It is a known fact that some South west parties only endorse other parties’ candidates and some others in the East recycle the same set of old men who have contributed to where we are today flaunting their credentials. Some others that would have tried to give the ruling party a run for their money have been infiltrated by who else but PDP.

Enough of the digression, the fire is a warning to PDP to buckle up and find a solution to the myriad of problems they’ve created since 1999; the ones their elder brother, NPN, created way back in the second republic or risk getting judged by fire.

That fire is a warning to all: If a portion of the Secretariat of the ruling party could surrender to fire, the entire Secretariat, the party, members, all other political parties and their members and indeed our democracy might be at the mercy of the fire come 2011, if we do not do what must be done.

You’re asking me what must be done? You and I know. Let’s do it!