PDP, which way forward.

POLITICIANS AND POWER-Markafi the maverick power play politician! The festering PDP National leadership crisis is one sure confirmation that no politician loathes power. Politicians have incredible love for power and will genuflect towards it or grab it at the least opportunity. Markafi is no exception. Yes, Markafi...you know him and all his titles and status and great accomplishments. Markafi is the man in the eye of the storm with Sheriff over the National headship of PDP. Courtesy of a carefully contrived intrigue kept alive by many conspiracy theories of power, Markafi and his crew now have one year extension from his delegates to oversee and superintend over the activities of his PDP faction pending when the courts eventually validate his stay by logically concluding the matters or the political ruckus gets resolved politically. Yes, the factional Caretaker Chairman of PDP, Senator Markafi is an adept power play politician although many ignorantly see him as a dove or peace maker. Forget his deceptive soft looks-that guy has guts and is a political fox! Recall how he initially presented himself as an unwilling or reluctant draft being used to upstage Senator Sheriff as the PDP National Chairman at the initial but botched PDP National Convention in Portharcourt which Sheriff postponed citing court orders. Following that Sheriff's "maradonaic move and dribble" in Portharcourt, the all powerful PDP Governors particularly Wike and Fayose, got the remnant delegates at that Convention to reject Sheriff and his antics and to give Markafi three months caretakership so that he can do the "right thing" and handover to an elected National Executive of the beleaguered PDP. That was how these guys entered "one chance bus" with Markafi. Only yesterday, 17 August 2016, in the same Portharcourt, Markafi the "peace maker" turned tiger and bought for himself one calendar year or twelve months extension as Caretaker Committee Chairman. Unknown to many, by flatly refusing to talk peace and to agree to peace terms with the Sheriff faction, Markafi was weaving the intrigues leading to the fiasco and eventual extension of his tenure. It was an inevitable outcome. As a guru in intrigues and grand conspiracies, Markafi accentuated the extension of his tenure plan by getting his acolytes to file different court cases in different courts and obtaining different and conflicting orders with the ones in Sheriff's possession. That way, he ensured he had the soul of his faction in PDP in his firm grips. No escape for them. Markafi put the final nail on the coffin by successfully selling the dummy to the select PDP people loyal to his cause that Sheriff was working as a mole with APC to cripple PDP while in fact he was the one who did not want the peace thing to happen so that he can get this extension and even more! Did APC advise Markafi not to accept the peace initiatives and entreaties by many concerned PDP elders including that by Prof Jerry Gana and his group? We make bold to say that Markafi knew what he wanted and that peace in PDP will deny him that. That was why he rebuffed and shunned the olive branch. Now Sheriff has the "bad boy" image while Markafi has the "messiah status" amongst his followers. With what may be loosely called the "Markafi political masterstroke", other bad losers or casualties on the block abound without knowing it. With Markafi being given the nod to be in the helm of affairs for the next one year, subject to the court decisions, the clear implication is that the frenzied ambitions of veterans like Jimmy Agbaje, Raymond Dokpesi, Pa Bode George and their co-travellers on that ill-fated journey, all from the South South and South West, to take over PDP leadership from the North has to be in the cooler for the next one year. Twenty four hours is too long a time in politics not to talk of one whole year. You now see the deft skill of Markafi and how he parked everybody by the corner with just one dribble? Markafi understands power joor. Which player wants to be in the sidelines during a crucial match? Certainly Not Markafi! Now imagine the expenses and waste occasioned by Raymond Dokpesi and these guys from the South South and South West whose ambitions have been put on hold or completely truncated by the Markafi joker. Certainly, they are the real loosers while Markafi and his Northern brother Sheriff are dancing Skelewu on top of their head. Chai...PDP politics and its perennial injustice, impunity and lawlessness. It is a win win situation for the North with what is on ground. Sheriff insists he will leave in 2018. Markafi has an extension already till 2017. Either way and between Markafi and or Sheriff, the North has won an extension without firing a shot. Unfortunately, the South South and South West and their PDP National chairmanship contenders must wait till then, the earliest being 2017. Na so politics be nah...some shine their eyes while some sleep on duty. Now you know the rougish nature of politics and the intricate intrigues in party politics... All hail Markafi, the latest Maradona in PDP factional politics! Prof Obiaraeri N.O. (c)2016 August