What becomes of smaller parties?

The PDP had for 16 years occupied the spotlight as the ruling party in Nigeria. Not only did it produce the president in four consecutive elections, it also had the most spread in terms of state control with the highest number of governors, National and Assembly members and even local government and ward structures.

Even when the party lost the presidential election in 2015 due mainly to an implosion from within, hopes were high that it remained a matter of time before the party would rebuild its structures and bounce to power.

After failing in three consecutive elections since it left power, the hope seemed far-fetched as each attempt by the party to re-launch has been met with failure.

The latest is yesterday’s judgment of the appeal court which did not recognise the convention of the party that held in November at Ibadan, Oyo State. The implication, according to analysts, is that the party has no valid National Working Committee (NWC) since the term of the previous one had expired.

Worse still, even the vestiges of a structure that it could hold on to, had been thrown away with the upholding of the suspension of the national secretary, Samuel Anywawu and other members of the former NWC.

Most of the party bigwigs our correspondents called yesterday, including two former governors and a former caretaker national chairman of the party declined comment, saying they were meeting to resolve the issue.

The question is, if such could happen to a major opposition party with massive structures across the country and influential people including former presidents, vice presidents and governors what is the fate of the other opposition parties?

Much as the ruling party has several times denied that it is not bent on imposing a one party state, many say the current happenings are pointing in that direction.

Many of the opposition parties have lost their vibrancy. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is battling a crisis while the Labour Party was for long embroiled in a crisis till its presidential candidate left.

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) which controls Anambra State is believed to be more in bed with the ruling party while the only other state, Abia, is also not showing much willingness in challenging the ruling party.

The only other state which governor is in the opposition is Osun but the governor is alone in the Accord Party and is not kitted enough to pose any challenge to the ruling party.

The attempt at a coalition in the manner the APC did when it was formed ahead the 2015 elections appears far-fetched as the focus for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been on who will fly the party’s flag while no single governor has defected to the party since it was formed.