In a message released by the former National Publicity Secretary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh has decried the wanton display of money by some PDP guber candidates ahead of the parties primaries in weeks.
In the message made available to 9News Nigeria Anambra State correspondent, Chief Olisa Metuh said that in the present attempt at getting it right, there has been unanimity of purpose by almost all the aspirants to conduct a flawless Congress and primaries devoid of money politics, violence and fraud.
He said that after meeting with all the aspirants in his home town of Nnewi, they all resolved to cut the financial cost of primaries for the obvious reasons that it is worthless for the aspirants to waste all their money in the bid to clinch the primaries.
That when the primaries is meant for the highest bidder, the winner would have spent so much money that he would be left without funds to prosecute the general election and without access to any federal or home state assistance.
Chief Olisa Metuh compared such scenario as the “the curse of pyrrhic victories” which should be avoided.
PDP ANAMBRA STATE … the curse of pyrrhic victories.
In 279 B.C King Pyrrhus of Epirud led his Greek soldiers to invade the Romans at Asculum in Apulia, modern-day Italy. Pyrrhus won the battle but lost most of his elite soldiers. Today, pyrrhic victory is known as a victory not worth winning because so much is lost to achieve it.
Anambra has always been the tipping point for the leaders of the PDP because of the strength of the different warlords attempting full control, perennially. The party has witnessed many generals, commanders and leaders who at various times have sought to win control of governorship primaries with a wanton display of money, violence and even through fraudulent means or with court orders and judgements.
In the present attempt at getting it right, there has been unanimity of purpose by almost all the aspirants to conduct a flawless Congress and primaries devoid of money politics, violence and fraud.
On Sunday 6th June, I held a meeting with all the aspirants in my home in Nnewi. We all resolved to cut the financial cost of primaries for the following reasons:
- When left to the highest bidder, the winner would have spent so much money that he would be left without funds to prosecute the general election and without access to any federal or home state assistance.
- The losers would have spent so much that they cannot get immediate refunds from the winner thereby making them susceptible to being wooed by the ruling parties at the federal and state levels. Besides, a low budget primaries would allow the loosers to make financial contributions to the winner towards the general election.
- Finally, the party executives and delegates would have made so much monies from the aspirants and would be more concerned with investing their earnings rather than being motivated to focus their energies on the general election. An average party man who suddenly receives enormous funds as consultations and logistics from different aspirants would not be bothered about the gamble of general election as he would have considered his immediate needs and ambitions satisfied.
The aspirants also committed to peaceful process devoid of rancour, sponsored media attacks and blackmail. We all prayed and made a collective covenant with God. However, with benefit of hindsight that covenant should have included a commitment to God for free and fair primaries.
The same week the curse of King Pyrrhus victories struck again and we witnessed court judgements and perverse attempts to truncate the primaries. The stories are too many and these attempts are puerile, infantile and futile as they remain hollow and worthless.
My prayers are that we should avoid any method or solution that will still lead to PYRRHIC VICTORY as any candidate produced through a judgement or imposed through a fraudulent process would be struggling for the 4th position in the general elections.
A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE.
