PDP’s promo on Facebook causes controversy

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked its fans on Facebook to help search for what it called the “Most Patriotic Nigerian.”

At 12:56pm on Wednesday, an update on the official page of the PDP, which has 10,416 fans, stated that the party was launching a promo for the search for the most patriotic Nigerian, dating back to the period the country attained independence in 1960. It explained that the party’s Facebook fan with the highest endorsement for his or her recommendation would be adequately compensated.

According to PDP, the winner will have the opportunity of having dinner with a sitting PDP governor or a member of the Federal Executive Council. It also added that the promo cum search would end by mid-May.

In fact, the PDP designed a banner and uploaded it on its page to show that it was serious with the initiative.

The Facebook post stated, “ Promo! Promo!! Promo!!! The Peoples Democratic Party is asking you to help search for the most patriotic Nigerian, whose selflessness inspired many Nigerians since independence and why?

“The person with the highest number of “likes” on his/her comment will have dinner with a PDP governor or minister of their choice. The promo ends 6:00pm on Saturday, May 15, 2013.”

No sooner had the party posted the message than comments from fans started pouring in. Names such as Obafemi Awolowo, the late Premier of the old Western Region; Ahmadu Bello, late premier of the old Northern region; Late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, late President Umaru Yar’Adua came up.

Others included former Heads-of-State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Muhammodu Buhari, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Prof. Wole Soyinka; and a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

However, some commenters nominated President Goodluck Jonathan. One of such Nigerians is Prince Ajijala Adeolu-Kenfills, who argues, ironically, that granting pardon to former Governor of Bayelsa State and self acclaimed Governor-General of the Ijaw nation, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is enough reason for him (the President) to bag PDP’s ‘Most Patriotic Nigerian’ award.

Adeolu-Kenfills stated, “(He is) GoodluckJonathan, because he has done many good things to improve the lives of our people. He also freed Nigeria from corruption by granting his corrupt master (Alamieyeseigha) amnesty. He is the best President from the back, right from independence.He even deserves another term.”

A good number of fans of the PDP on the social network queried the party for introducing the search and promo, arguing that the initiative will have no meaningful impact on the teeming unemployed youths in the country.

Tobins Soalaasked,“We dont even know the reason for the search. Is the person (Most Patriotic Nigerian) going to be the (PDP)candidate for the presidency?” while another visitor to the PDP Facebook page, Qaha Qpain, stated, “So you (PDP) do not have any good and reasonable things or master plan to move Nigeria forward to post except the rubbish posted above.”

Another visitor to the Facebook page, Echem Stanley-Izu, believes the initiative was of no use to Nigerians. “To hell with their fucking promo, is that promo the jobs they are supposed to create for the teeming unemployed youths? People’s Deceptive Party, PDP.”

Meanwhile, some Nigerians, while lambasting the PDP over the initiative, said should a thorough job be done, the most patriotic Nigerian cannot be found from the rank and file of the members of the party.

One of such Nigerians is Musa Lukawho. He said the few patriotic Nigerians had been forced out of the party.

“There are so many patriotic Nigerians, unfortunately not in the PDP. The few good guys you (PDP) had, have since been chased out,” Luka argued.

Meanwhile, a few Nigerians have nominated Akpos for the award of the Most Patriotic Nigerian, which the self-acclaimed Africa’s biggest party is searching for. Akpos is a fictional character who is often painted to act foolishly but in a funny and hilarious way.

According to them, Akpos had brought joy to many Nigerians, in the face of corruption and misgovernance which had made many Nigerians live in abject poverty.

“(I nominate) Akpos. If not for anything he has brought a lot of joy to our hearts when all this bloody, rulers are busy packing our money for their generation to come,” Oliver Meme explained.

However, some Nigerians have taken the rush to come out tops in the promo. As at 3PM, barely two hours after putting up the update, 129 people had keyed into the promo by nominating their personalities of choice.

Commenting on one of the pages where the post was shared on Facebook, a Nigerian, Hassel Gabriel, stated, “People should have a good mindset for things and not be myopic. A dinner with a top personnel can make a road to shortcut for prosperity, if you believe.”