Abia PDP: What Kalu Told Ndi-Abia

The saying that war brings endless peace may not be attributable to politics, especially in democracy. Democratic-politicians would say that what matters in politics is the swell of political parties' members and, not how many members have disintegrated.

So, while it may be normal to have discrepancies in democracy, it is not in a political party. Without doubt, the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is endangered by greed as Nigeria makes a move near 2015.

The governor of the state has been fingered as the person brewing the greed. Journalists' pens have written that he wants to make his entire household the consensus candidates of key elective positions in the state.

Evidence is that some days ago, there was a harangue in Abia State that the son of the Governor, Chinedu, was head-bent on hijacking the speakership of the state House of Assembly; a matter he vehemently denied the move in many portals.

Nonetheless, upon the denial, fingers have not stopped to point at him of political recklessness. It could be as a result of this that has necessitated the alleged move by a chieftain of the party in the state to situate a law suit against some key officials of the party.

It was learned that Ukasoanya O. Okocha, who is the Legal Adviser of PDP, Nkporo Etiti ward, Ohafia, had taken the matter to the court over what the lawyer said was the plan of the henchmen in the party “to set up an extraordinary committee for the conduct of governorship primaries in the state”.

A source said: “Okocha specifically urged the court to make an order restraining the respondents, particularly the state chairman, Governor Orji and the Charles Ogbonnaya-led congress and primaries committee from conducting any primaries, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.”

It was learned that in the suit, many others who are at the national level of the party were included. And they comprise the national chairman of PDP, Ahmadu Mu'azu; national secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo; Abia State PDP chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka and Charles Ogbonnaya.

Ogbonnaya was said to be a cousin of Governor Orji and he is the chairman of the state congress and primaries committee for 2015 general election in the state, which many people had faulted that it was not appropriate.

To this end, Okocha in the motion ex parte contained in suit No: A/2372014, filed in the High Court of Abia State, holding in Aba, was said to be praying the court that the court should grant an order that would bar the PDP national leadership from recognising the state congress committee. The order was also prayed to restrain the committee from carrying out the functions of a state congress, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The source continued: “Okocha specifically urged the court to make an order restraining the respondents, particularly the state chairman, Governor Orji and the Charles Ogbonnaya-led congress and primaries committee from conducting any primaries, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.”

Reacting in a different forum, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who was a former Governor of the state, had condemned the 16-man State Congress and Primary Committee for next year's elections situated by the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Kalu described the move as illegal.

The former governor said: “Where have you seen such committee set up in any of the states of the federation? Why must things be done the wrong way in Abia State? Things will no longer be allowed to go the wrong way in the state.”

It was discernible that the Chairman of PDP in the state, Senator Emma Nwaka, had in Umuahia, inaugurated the committee headed by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Umuahia, Charles Ogbonna, Governor Theodore Orji's cousin.

Kalu had further said that the move by the state PDP has no place in the party's constitution. In his belief, Kalu had said that the setting up of the committee was a way of telling those who Governor Orji would not want to contest the election, to stay away from the 2015 elections.

Like Okocha is praying the court to stop the committee, Kalu had said: “Nobody should go to that committee for anything, for that will amount to a mere waste of time. We are law abiding, that's why we are calling on the NWC of the party to look into the illegality that is playing out in Abia State. Nobody should arrogate to himself, powers he has not, powers that only belong to the NWC and it is only that body that decides who should or should not contest election.”

Rubby Obinna writes from Ohaji, Imo State.