The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) penultimate Thursday, confirmed the nomination of Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo as the party’s national chairman.

The 51st National Executive Council (NEC) of the party ratified Nwodo’s nomination after much horse-trading and intrigues within the party’s hierarchy, presidency and caucus of the party in the South-East geo-political region, which the party’s chairmanship slot was zoned to.

While accepting the chairmanship position of the party, Nwodo, a former governor of Enugu State promised to inject new blood into the party by re-building it’s image as well as avoid imposition of candidates on Nigerians for the 2011 elections.

In order words, the new PDP’s helmsman vowed to respect peoples choice of candidates, rather than candidates emanating from godfathers and godmothers in line with the party’s constitution which hinges on internal democracy.

Nwodo, the pioneer national secretary of PDP further pledged to review the scope of delegates to the party’s primaries and convention in order to allow more elected delegates, than statutory ones in line with the principles and ideals of the founding fathers of the party.

No doubt, Nwodo as a founding member of the PDP knows so much about the foundation on which the party was founded and built. As a pioneer secretary of the party and one-time governor of Enugu State, the new PDP boss must be vast with internal workings (democracy) of the party from inception till date.

He quite acknowledges and appreciates the fact that so much water (either for good or for ill) must have passed under the bridge in the past one decade within the party.

Perhaps, that is why in his post-ratification speech, he promised to re-build the party’s image and make it one big umbrella that will contain all members (old and intending ones) as well as tackle some negative vices that tend to polarise the party.

Most observers and political analysts believe, and sincerely too, that the problem with PDP is within PDP itself. They contend that the party has derailed from the cherished ideals and principles of the founding fathers of the party. And this, to a very large extent, has impacted negatively on the party.

Therefore, it is expected that as the new helmsman of PDP settles down in office, he will put his wealth of experience into play and the necessary machinery is put in motion to correct the ills plaguing the party.

Firstly, Nwodo must consolidate on the gains and achievements of his predecessors and avoid the pitfalls and temptations which led to the ouster of his predecessors. He needs to ensure that all PDP members, including foundation members, who have either defected to other parties or are on their own are brought back to the party’s fold.

Similarly, he should critically examine the reason behind the formation of the Reform Group, and if need be, take necessary steps to harmonise or make them retrace their steps.

More importantly, methinks that the greatest challenge ahead of Nwodo’s dispensation is to ensure a hitch-free and successful state congress and national convention of the party as well as in choosing the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2011 presidential elections.

The issue of zoning has remained a thorny one rocking the PDP in recent times and the ability or inability of Nwodo to handle “zoning formular” before the 2011 elections will go a long way to determine the success or otherwise of his stewardship.

There are pockets of protests within and outside the PDP, some agitating for maintaining the status-quo, while others are of the view that politics, like democracy is dynamic and subject to change.

After 11 years of our democratic experiment, the PDP and other political parties in Nigeria should, and must imbibe the spirit of meritocracy rather than sticking to the zoning principle as practised in other advanced democratic societies of the Western World, where we borrowed our brand of democracy.

So, as this column congratulates Nwodo for coming on board as the new PDP boss, he should be reminded that the task ahead is quite enormous but definitely, not insurmountable. His capability to manage PDP is on test.

History beckons on him to transform the PDP, which prides itself as the largest party in African continent, and take the party to the next level. That, precisely, is the biggest challenge facing Nwodo.