A new book has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan was thwarted by state governors within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from implementing critical reforms that could have solved the party’s financial problems and reduced the influence of wealthy sponsors.
According to the book, the reform initiative, aimed at achieving financial independence for the party, was killed at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, despite initially receiving Jonathan’s support.
The revelation is contained in “Wadata Wonders: Memoirs of a Partisan Journalist”, written by Ike Abonyi, a former media adviser to two PDP national chairmen, Okwesilieze Nwodo and Prince Uche Secondus. The book was launched in Abuja on Tuesday, with several PDP dignitaries in attendance.
Recounting internal party dynamics under the Jonathan presidency, the book stated that Nwodo, who served as PDP national chairman from 2010 to 2011, had designed a reform initiative to fund the party through contributions from its members.
Under the proposal, at least 10 million card-carrying PDP members would pay ₦1,000 annually, generating ₦10 billion per year — sufficient to run party affairs without relying on donations from governors or external sponsors.
Although Jonathan initially approved the proposal after a pilot demonstration held at Aso Rock Villa, the plan was later scuttled at the NEC meeting where it was to be ratified.
“All that was needed to liberate the party from the cog of financial insolvency was for President Jonathan to insist on the reforms… But he didn’t do that at the NEC meeting,” the book stated.
The author wrote that Rotimi Amaechi, then Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, led the opposition to the reform, fearing that it would weaken the governors’ grip on the party — particularly ahead of an important general election.
“The governors didn’t want their influence on the party whittled down… That was how the proposed reforms died on arrival,” the book noted.
The book further claims that the governors facilitated the removal of Dr. Nwodo as PDP chairman in a bid to prevent any future reformist agenda within the party.
“That act also marked the beginning of the loss of power by the PDP,” Abonyi concluded.
