Ogbeh survives removal plot
- Party elders to reconcile him and Obasanjo
From John-Abba Ogbodo, Abuja
AFTER several hours of intrigues, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, survived an impeachment plot yesterday.
The plot would have also swept out of office the other members of the party's National Working Committee (NWC).
Citing insecurity, Ogbeh had, after an early morning meeting with members of the NWC and some governors, cancelled the meeting of the National Executive Committee scheduled for yesterday.
The meeting was however reconvened at about 2.30 p.m. when some governors believed to be loyal to President Olusegun Obasanjo, arrived at the national secretariat of the party in Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja and opened the floor to the main hall meant to be used for the meeting.
They were led by the Niger State Governor, Abdulkadir Kure.
Ogbeh, who was in the office when the governors arrived, later joined them at about 2.28 p.m.
The Guardian learnt that when the governors heard about the cancellation, they held a meeting with the chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, at his Asokoro residence and resolved that the meeting must hold as scheduled.
These governors included Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), Segun Agagu (Ondo), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Usman Muazu (Bauchi) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).
Having heard of the resolution of this group, the other group of governors loyal to Ogbeh held a meeting at the Akwa-Ibom State governor's lodge and resolved that "there was no point postponing the evil day".
They therefore delegated Obong Victor Attah of Akwa-Ibom to tell Ogbeh and the NWC members to attend the meeting because nothing would happen.
Amid tight security with over 300 mobile policemen and plain-clothes security men, the meeting began.
The Guardian learnt that the motion for dissolution of the NWC so that Ogbeh could step down for investigation to be conducted into his activities and the resultant altercation with the President was moved by Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa.
But when weighed against Article 18 of the party's constitution, it was defeated.
Earlier, one ex-officio member from the South-West was said to have moved the motion but a member of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Emmanuel Osamor, said the constitution requires that a notice of at least two clear months should be given in writing for such motion to be valid.
It was also argued that it is only the Congress that can dissolve the NWC.
Governors George Akume, James Ibori, Lucky Igbinedion and Orji Kalu were said to have strongly opposed the motion, which was moved under issue of urgent importance.
It was learnt that the strategy of the anti-Ogbeh group was that if the motion succeeded, then the idea of a Sole Administrator would have been minuted; a step seen as the beginning of the removal of the NWC.
The manner that Governors Igbinedion and Kalu drove into the secretariat in a commando-like style and with a dead pan-face showed the level of seriousness of the meeting.
Also, some of the governors came out at intervals to make some phone calls believed to be situation reports to some persons not within the premises.
Conspicuously, both President Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar were not in attendance at the NEC meeting presided over by Ogbeh.
Twenty-four governors of the party were in attendance.
Senate President Adolphus Wabara and his deputy, Ibrahim Mantu, who also attended the meeting, both came out at different times during the meeting and later went inside.
The tension in the hall, according to sources, was palpable with Ogbeh ordering some people at certain point to "sit down".
Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, Ogbeh, who arrived in a white babaringa and a red cap, smiled and said it was resolved that the executive should not be dissolved.
His words: "The resolution is that the executive will not be dissolved. That is why we are still here. If not, there would have been ex-chairman, ex-secretary or ex-national vice chairman".
Ogbeh, however, said that it was admitted that the feud had caused some strain. "The whole thing has caused the party a lot of stress and I said we regret the stress but that is not to say that we have no right to express our views," he said.
Asked whether he had any regrets, Ogbeh said: "No, no. It is only natural. There is no office in the land that is not coveted. No matter your success, very often, someone sees it as a failure. Some want you out, some want you to go in. There are reasons why people want you out. Some selfish, some personal, but it is natural in politics."
He continued: "The beauty of democracy is to talk. They can tell you everything. 'You are useless, you are stupid.' It helps you look at yourself and admit your imperfections as a person and as a group, it also helps you to improve. You must always as a human being, know that whatever you are doing, you can do better."
Ogbeh assured that what the party is going through showed that it allows healthy debate.
Also speaking with newsmen, the National Publicity Secretary, Venatius Ikem, disclosed that the NEC resolved that elders of the party comprising Board of Trustees members, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives should reconcile Ogbeh and Obasanjo.
Ogbeh explained Obasanjo's absence at the meeting, saying that the President had a busy schedule, especially in relation to the national honours award ceremony.
The governors who did not attend the NEC meeting were those of Plateau, Kogi, Bayelsa and Katsina.`
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