Chief Dan Ulasi is a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s former chairman of Anambra State. He discusses the party’s current restructuring in this interview, as well as the reasons it is appropriate to back efforts to persuade Peter Obi to rejoin the main opposition party. Among other things, the PDP chairman criticizes people who have switched to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Joy Anibogu provides the following excerpts:
After Mr. Peter announced that he would only be returning to the PDP once, many Nigerians were skeptical of his assurances because they seemed flimsy. The truth changes when you see the other side. The second issue I would like you to respond to is Minister Nyesom Wike’s conditions to the PDP regarding whether Chief Dan Orbih remains the National Vice Chairman, South-South, and whether or not another event involving another person in the South-South can go forward. He also stated that the November convention will not take place if no one pays attention. Is this not unequivocal proof that the PDP we are discussing is in the intensive care unit, as Senator Suswan once declared?
Our nation’s constitution guarantees what we refer to as free expression. As long as you don’t mistreat or extort somebody, you are free to say what and how you want. But I must begin by stating that democracy depends on a number of doses of civility. They emphasize the definition of civility, which is something that most people, including those in politics, do not comprehend, and as a result, they display a self-preservation instinct of some kind. This introspective inclination leads to self-preservation, which might lead to paranoia, which is quite harmful. The nation hasn’t changed because of those who swear allegiance to duty but, in reality, swear allegiance to money theft. In response to your query, the majority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s elites and so-called educated people tend to overlook the constitution’s mention of a four-year tenure. You are granted a four-year term by the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution. According to the constitution, you should be able to leave a lasting influence on your society in four years. It identifies your strong points, and if you request a second term, it grants it. “Just for four years,” it says, but if you have a decent idea and someone else takes over, it will complete it. We have one of the best governors in the Federal Republic of Nigeria if you visit Enugu today. Most of the initiatives that were put on hold for the last 16 to 20 years have now been finished. Entering Enugu is similar to entering London. You can observe how the governor is completing all of the projects and restoring the area. Therefore, I believe Peter’s statement that he will serve four years is infallible. By all measures, he is a good Christian and a highly honest person in Nigerian politics. I believe he will achieve it in four years since he doesn’t speak from both sides of his mouth. You will observe and think that he will do everything he wants to do in four years, even if he doesn’t complete it all. The constitution assumes that. They would have stated that they were giving it five or six years if they had believed that you could complete it given your four-year commitment. Peter hasn’t mentioned anything irrelevant. According to him, you ought to be able to perform adequate research within a year, even before you take office. Analyze your vision and how you plan to achieve it. The main problem is that people constantly think about ways to steal money because they have a vision of doing so.
Nothing that will affect the average person.
What about the suggestion that Mr. Peter Obi rejoin Wike’s PDP?
The issue with Wike is that, in my opinion, it is not appropriate to reach the conclusion without first examining the origin of the experiment. All 17 southern governors, including those from the PDP and APC, convened in Asaba a few years ago and agreed that the candidates for president from the two major parties had to be from the south. APC followed suit. The PDP didn’t do it. The committee for zoning party offices was led by former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who zoned chairperson to the north and secretary to the south, as was obeyed. Ortom’s team was expected to zone elective offices, and his silence upon becoming president was seen as sabotage. Since his party didn’t zone anything to anywhere, Atiku Abubakar was able to run thanks to that silence. Sadly, he lost when he ran. The crisis has continued ever since. Wike took advantage of that crisis since he and a few others ran in that election and thought he would have won and might even be the current president of Nigeria if he hadn’t had Atiku Abubakar’s meddling. The relationship between Wike and the PDP has not been normal since. Two months prior to the 2023 election, I really traveled to Port Harcourt and spent hours meeting with him before returning to Enugu to make the case that our party is superior and that we should attempt to win the election. However, he did not fully agree with my request. As I previously stated, he is entitled to free speech, free association, and free behavior patterns under the constitution. He therefore concluded that there was no longer any foundation for trust in the PDP because of what they had done.
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What about the idea of enticing Peter Obi to rejoin the PDP? There is a growing momentum to this discourse. But I want to set apart a few remarks made by Senator Olujimi, who recently switched from the PDP to the APC. She claimed that the PDP had nothing to offer anyone, which is why she had departed. Thus, it’s interesting that there is discussion about enticing Peter Obi to join the PDP in public. Do you believe that he would be a suitable PDP flag bearer? Would the PDP help or hurt his chances as he moves near 2027, in your opinion?
I’m glad Olujimi was brought up. What has he given the PDP, you would have asked her? People are constantly searching for a place to distribute money because the federal government no longer exists and there is no money to give. Doesn’t it seem regrettable that a prominent figure in Nigerian politics is abandoning the PDP because they have nothing to offer? What has she contributed to improve PDP? We held a meeting with the founders and stakeholders two weeks ago. I was present. Nearly all of our governors attended the NEC meeting the following day, where they formed committees to try to increase the party’s productivity in order to prepare for the upcoming 2027 election. Some people depart due to a single interest, which could be financial or something else. Many years ago, when we were founding the PDP, I supported the Ekwueme. And if I must leave PDP today, I must have a strong argument for why my new location is preferable than my old one. Can someone in this country tell me if the APC is superior to the PDP, even when they are in opposition? They even speak as if they are the opposition party, aware that they are in power. So what will entice me to visit APC? Nothin’. There is nothing fascinating about the party because of all its governors. Therefore, there must be a reason other than a political process for someone to leave the PDP and move there. As I mentioned earlier, Wike’s remark stems from the issue that arose in 2023, and the party as a whole has not been happy ever then.
How about Peter Obi’s problem?
Peter is now essentially a national political figure, if the party wishes to run a meaningful campaign in this election. The party is organizing a committee to investigate this subject. This is 2025; we still have plenty of time. The party will begin making judgments and exploring options between now and the end of the year. In one way or another, we’re working to rehabilitate our issues. The next significant step will be our convention, which I am a part of and will take place in November. After that, we’ll begin as soon as we have new chairman, secretary, permanent party officers, and everyone else. Talking about 2027 is the next step. Thus, before we discuss public officials, we want to reconstruct the party, the National Working Committee, and the NEC. Before counting one, we don’t want to count two. As I mentioned before, Peter Obi is a good product, and any party that possesses him will benefit in some way. Without a doubt, it serves as a benchmark for this nation. I’ll be in favor of the PDP approaching him if they want to.
Do you think Peter Obi should be included in the debate since Wike currently controls the PDP? What about Goodluck Jonathan’s remarks being brought up in some PDP circles as well? To put it another way, you ask why people are attending the APC. Because the APC is in power, they are going there. It’s been more than ten years since your party last held the reins. APC offers them stability, which is why they are going there. Your party isn’t owned by anyone. APC has managed to overcome their obstacles. Since the APC has the president, they believe they are in a stronger position right now, thus they are joining the party. As we speak now, they are therefore pursuing a better alternative. The APC is far superior to your chaotic party. that you have no idea what the future or the following thing will bring. You would likely want to go to certainty as well if the APC addressed folks like you today.
Does APC lack certainty? What do you say about PDP not being uncertain?
I greatly appreciate your analysis. However, human conduct is not determined by numbers, you know. Usually, in politics, one plus one does not equal two. It may even be 100, and if it is accepted by the public, it becomes the official number. The fact that people are defecting from the PDP to the APC does not imply that the APC is superior to the PDP. It demonstrates the lack of morals among humans. The nation isn’t moving because of this. Take, for example, the Senate president. He served as Akwa Ibun State’s eighth governor. All of Delta State recently switched to APC. Akwa Ibom just transferred to APC. As a journalist, could you explain what they would discover in the APC that they were unable to accomplish in Delta State or Akwa Ibom State, when they were performing admirably as governors of the PDP? Therefore, individuals lack values, and when they do, they are prone to accepting anything that is put in front of them. I have been a member of the PDP since the party’s founding. I have never served as a director or a commissioner. However, they invite me to participate in the majority of their delicate activities. In 2003, I served as Northeast’s screening panel chairman. I screened all of the Northeast in 2010. I was a conduit for the majority of our governors today. You have the determination to contribute as a party member. Many enter this industry with the intention of making money. And for that reason, the nation is not changing. We must share your ideals and honor. I consider the eight years following Buhari’s tenure to be a period of no government. No action was taken. President Tinubu then emerged. Anyone else entering into office after Buhari would have faced the same issue Tinubu faces, I remarked. The only possibility is that he will be able to resolve the issue using a different approach. There is no magic since the country has fallen so far. To do something, you just need a certain amount of willpower. And if people want to support Peter Obi because of his track record as governor of Anambra State, his honesty, and his ethics, then good. He is the only governor to whom no one has ever made a bad accusatory statement. Each and every mention about Peter Obi is favorable. And at the very least, this country needs someone like him to inspire optimism. Building roads is only one aspect of governance. It gives you hope. Because stability is necessary for politics to function. Additionally, we haven’t observed this steadiness.
In 2017, you claimed that Peter Obi had split Anambra.
Why don’t you give me some perspective? During that interview, I mentioned that we were meeting with him. We traveled to Awka after a conference in Enugu. Additionally, he expressed to her his desire to run for president. He then switched to the Labour Party after leaving the PDP. And I denounced it. That behavior annoyed me. When he visited my residence, I told him that what he had done was regrettable. Even so, he had the right to do it, even though I didn’t like it. He was allowed to do it by the constitution. He wished to demonstrate his interest in political leadership in this way. But I didn’t agree with that. Thus, my current statement does not contradict my previous statements. And have I left PDP myself since then? There are ten governors on our team. And these ten governors may get together in good faith to form a committee that can restructure this party. Our limit will be the sky. The administration is being effectively challenged by us.
You had denounced that you and Obi are at odds all the time over his time in Anambra. Why did it change?
You’re committing the fallacy of generalization. I have never criticized the Anambra governorship of Peter Obi. Peter Obi has never received my condemnation.
Peter Obi would be welcomed back into the PDP, according to Professor Jerry Gana. Well, Nyesom Wike. Wike, the PDP’s conditional leader, will he agree to accept Obi’s return? You are also referring to the November Convention. According to Wike, the convention can only be upheld under certain circumstances. For what reason are you so certain?
I don’t speak from both sides of my mouth. I express and defend my thoughts. I’ve never had to take a backseat. I explained to you why I have trouble criticizing Wike. due to the circumstances leading up to the events of 2023. Since I have stated this, I fail to see why anyone should find it confusing. He had to respond the way he did because he felt undervalued. Perhaps I wouldn’t have responded in this manner till now. Also, the party was defeated.
To find out how the majority of our governors will handle particular tasks, we established a committee in the PDP in Abuja. Wike isn’t a magician. Politics is not like magic. Without Wike’s input, the party made decisions on a number of issues. He was not present for the meeting. Seven out of our ten governors were present as well. addressing this party’s future in an effective manner. Unfortunately, in this country, people only attend parties during election seasons. But there are those that pay the bills on a regular basis. In particular, we now only have ten states. In every state, we are paying staff salaries. That needs to be done by someone. We need someone to help. Additionally, before the election, no one is interested. In order to run for president or governor, they will pay between $50 million and $30 million. Managing a party is not that.
The nation is not progressing because of this. Loyal members of the party must be evidently working to ensure the party’s continued existence. Beyond the election.
In the end, the party will prevail if the election is held and they are well-organized. However, there is no magic to their victory if the party is not well-organized. the reasons behind Wike’s actions. I am not defending it. However, his actions were justified. We might have had a Wike or someone from the South as president if Atiku hadn’t run and someone else—like Tinubu—had emerged in the South. But regrettably, Tinubu had a chance and won the presidency. He’s also vying for a second term. Thus, I don’t think anything I’ve said contradicts itself.
