'Personal Opinion'

At the national level, the PDP has to return to the Villa. The last eight years of the APC at the helm of affairs has shown that we were actually making steady but remarkable progress in the PDP years as a nation, but inevitably, mistakes were made, the grey areas were exaggerated by mischief makers, many falsehoods were sold wholesale, a nice but weak Jonathan was mostly indecisive, and the PDP's journey to oblivion at the National level began. But after eight years of APC's complete lack of traction, rudderless and aimless leadership, blame shifting and buck passing, even the most vociferous APC apologists and pundits now agree that it was the worst in the PDP that amalgamated with the mostly ragtag opposition to inflict eight years of wanton economic woe on the Nigerian people.

Eight years down the line, the change APC promised actually came. The only thing is that they didn't tell us that it was from 'good' to 'worst'. Was it not good that in 2015 you only ate local rice because you truly loved it or wanted to support local farmers than now when you are actually grateful if the rice you can afford is the one with pebbles larger than the rice grains themselves? When it was the good PDP days, oil drilling companies didn't pump 200 000 barrels of crude from fields and get miserly 3000 barrels at terminals. Neither did anyone claim then of technically defeating terrorism when the reality on ground sounds more like the horror in today's Ukraine. Let's just not compare the PDP and the APC here: if the former claims to be white and is off white, the later says she's as white as snow but is actually the darkest shade of coffee brown!

My little personal poll shows that people across board are cringing for genuine change now than in 2015. And the PDP must find her natural frequency in this new reality and resonate to the helms of affairs again. At this juncture, this crossroad, this point of critical decision making, the leadership of the party must unite themselves and members as much as it is reasonably feasible. Cracks should be minimized. And a consensus candidate based on very robust and wide consultation, dialogue and negotiation should be the way to go. Zoning may be jettisoned as a temporary measure. You can only zone what is in your possession. Power at the center in Nigeria isn't with the PDP, and so while zoning as a stabilizing factor should still remain a major area in our dialogue, the foremost concern now should be how to maximize the current reality and return power to the party that our children's future now depends on. Therein lies the vital question: who has the charisma , stature and prowess to coast home to victory on the very viable PDP ticket in 2023?

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi. That's my candid opinion. And so, in my opinion again, having another Atiku-Obi ticket with Atiku in front gives the PDP the best chance of occupying Aso Rock in 2023. I just pray fervently that there's enough force within the leadership of the party that leans towards this view. For my folks in the South East who may think this is heresy, I understand very well that the South East is overripe to have a shot at Aso Villa, but isn't this route the shortest to the realization of such a goal in today's Nigeria? Alhaji Atiku is not growing younger, if the negotiations involve saying, 'See, Alhaji, take your shot at it for the next four years, we are one party, set the ball rolling in one tenure with Mr Obi, then, in 2027, step aside' but with the clause that he will be a major factor in negotiating who runs with Mr Obi.

Mr Peter Obi is actually my first choice candidate in terms of proven service delivery. But politics is like the game of Chess. You see a good move, just wait till a rated player chuckles and explains the folly of it. Right now, the North and the South West are not ready for a Peter Obi presidency. They do not know him like us. Or at least not enough to make him a strong force yet. But if he teams up with Alhaji and they deliver the goods and Alhaji commits to supporting him, there we have it, Obi will be in the Villa in 2027!

This view is personal and represents the thrust of my personal supplication to God even as we continue to yield completely to God's Will and to the supremacy of the wisdom of the leadership of our great party at all levels. God bless the PDP and God bless Nigeria.
Aku, Uche Henry Jr, Ward 7, Ndokwa East, Delta State.

Its nice u started it with "personal opinion"

Are we talking Peter Peter Obi or Peter of Nazareth ?! OP please explain

I hope you now know the Obi I saw even before any one noticed?