Is President Olusegun Obasanjo's proposed National Dialogue the way forward for Nigeria?
Ogbeh Survives, Says 'No Regret'
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 12.17.2004
Respite came the way of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, and members of his National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party frustrated plots to dissolve the executive. Ogbeh, however, said he has no regret over last week's open confrontation between him and President Olusegun Obasanjo on the Anambra State crisis. In a tension-soaked meeting attended by 23 of the 28 governors elected on the PDP platform, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representa-tives, Principal Officers of the National Assembly and other chieftains of the party, NEC decided that there was no need to remove anybody from office. The Committee instead decided that all hands should be on deck to strengthen the party. Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Ogbeh said: "The resolution of the NEC meeting is that the executive should not be dissolved. That is why we are still here. If not, we would have been ex-chairman, ex-secretary, ex-vice chairman and ex-this and ex-that." "We did resolve that it will not do the party much good at this time to do anything like the dissolution of the National Working Committee," he said. A group within the NEC had prior to yesterday's meeting insisted that the NWC led by Ogbeh and charged with the day-to-day running of the party should be suspended on allegations of constitutional violation, maladministration and financial irregularities. Ogbeh who described the meeting as a healthy debate, said some members expressed reservation on the exchange of letters between him and President Olusegun Obasanjo, while some said that it was good that the letter was written. Also some members expressed reservation on the response from the President. The national chairman had in a letter dated December 6 called the President's attention to the gravity of the Anambra State crisis and the seeming inaction of the Federal Government to stem the descent into anarchy in the state. In his reply on December 12, Obasanjo accused Ogbeh of incompetence, insubordination and mischief making. Ogbeh said the meeting also resolved to seek dialogue with the President next week and that the NEC should meet more often than before. He stated that he had no regrets on what took place, which he described as natural. On the lesson, he and members of the NWC had learnt, he said it has improved his knowledge in the management of democracy. "That is the beauty of democracy. Democracy helps you to look at yourself and help to achieve your imperfections. In any democracy there must be difference of opinions and it shows the need for dialogue," he said. THISDAY gathered that Ogbeh had initially cancelled the meeting based on the advice of some elders of the party who said he should allow tension to cool down before calling for a meeting. But the governors and Vice President Atiku Abubakar disagreed and insisted that the NEC meeting must hold. They argued that there was 'no need to postpone the evil day'. Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Victor Attah conveyed the decision of the governors to Ogbeh-led NWC and immediately, it was agreed that the meeting must hold. THISDAY gathered that shortly after the meeting commenced a motion to dissolve the NWC was moved by an ex-officio officer from the South-west zone but he was shouted down. Another attempt by one Chief C. N. Nwora to move the motion for the dissolution of the NWC was equally aborted. Ogbeh drew the meeting's attention to the provision of the party's constitution on tenure as stated in article 18(2) which reads, "At the appropriate convention or congress at mid term i.e. two year, a vote of confidence may be moved on any member of the executive committee at any level. Where such a vote fails such an executive committee will be replaced at that convention or congress. A notice of two months must be given to the secretary at the appropriate level who will circulate it to the relevant chapters one month before the convention or congress. The vote of confidence will be defeated by 2/3 of the members of the convention or congress sitting and voting." The constitutional provision came in handy for Ogbeh to defeat all opposition to suspend him and his executive committee from office. At this stage, Senate President Adolphus Wabara said Ogbeh had no right to stop anybody from moving any motion. Wabara was supported by Professor Emmanuel Osamor, a lawyer. Osamor said everybody had a right to move a motion, but the contents must be within the ambit of the constitution of the party. Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who spoke next, condemned Ogbeh's letter to the President. He was supported by the governors of Nasarawa and Kaduna states, who were seen at the meeting, as the arrowheads of the 'Ogbeh must go' campaign. But the Governors of Edo, Delta, and Benue countered the positions canvassed by their colleagues and spoke in support of the Ogbeh-led executive. The meeting eventually became a ding-dong affair in which it became evident that Ogbeh's committee would not be dissolved after all. The PDP governors absent from the meeting were Bayelsa, Katsina, Kogi, Akwa Ibom, and Plateau States. The President and the Vice President were also absent. Earlier, Ogbeh had announced that the much-expected PDP NEC meeting had been called off alleging security reasons. The announcement of cancellation came as members of the NWC were busy rallying support for the embattled chairman. Before the cancellation of the NEC meeting, it was gathered that the anti-Ogbeh group had perfected plans to remove the National Chairman and replace him with the former Minister of Education in the Obasanjo military government, Senator Ahmadu Ali. The cancellation of the NEC meeting by the Ogbeh led NWC was targetted at stopping the plotters in their tracks. The letter cancelling the NEC meeting was dated December 16 and signed by Ogbeh, it reads; "The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled for today, the 16th of December, 2004 has been cancelled for security reasons. "A new date for the meeting will be announced later. Any inconvenience caused by this cancellation is highly regretted." Article 15(a)(1) of the party's constitution empowers the National Chairman to summon the NEC meetings. The article states: "the National Chairman shall be the Chief Executive of the party and is vested with the following powers (1) to summon and preside over the meetings of the National Convention, the National Executive Committee, the National Caucus and the National Working Committee meetings of the party." According to sources, the plot to remove the Ogbeh-led NWC was perfected at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday night with six members of the NWC led by the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Chief Bode George. The group, however, had a sudden change of plan when members of the NWC learnt that the plot was not to remove Ogbeh alone, but the entire NWC which will be replaced with a caretaker chairman in the person of Ali. Following this, the entire NWC members decided to confront the President on the plan. After the details of the plan became known, NWC members started rallying round Ogbeh. The following party chieftains were spotted at Ogbeh's residence before the NEC meeting was cancelled. The National Secretary of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, the National Deputy Chairman (South), Alhaji Shuabu Oyedokun, the National Deputy Chairman (North), Alhaji Iro Safana, the National Vice Chairman (south-east) Chief Fidelis Ozi-Chukwu, the National Vice Chairman (South-south) Chief Godspower Ake, the National Vice Chairman (North-east) Alhaji Song, the National Vice Chairman (North-central) Dr. Mohammed Bello, and the National Vice Chairman (North-central), Alhaji Mohammed Mogaji. Other members of the NWC seen in Ogbeh's residence are the National Treasurer, Alhaji Umar Kareto, National Financial Secretary, Chief Olofintoye, National Legal Adviser, Col Yohannah Madaki, National Women Leader, Chief Josephine Anenih, National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Inuwa Labaran, the National Youth Leader, Alhaji Bibi Farouk, the National publicity Secretary, Venatius Ikem and the National Auditor, Chief Ray Nnaji. The only member of NWC visibly absent was Chief Bode George. The uniting point is the fear that most of them may lose out in the air going power game. Also, most of the NWC members are not in good terms with their governors who might block their opportunity to get a new political appointment. Some of the governors, it was gathered openly identified with Ogbeh and told their delegates who are members of NEC to go back to their states as the NEC meeting has been cancelled. The governors seen at Ogbeh's residence included the Governors of Oyo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Edo State. Others, it was gathered were monitoring events from their Government Lodge. At about 12.25 pm when the statement cancelling the NEC meeting was handed over to newsmen, another round of meeting was still going on in Chief Anthony Anenih's residence in Asokoro. The governors in attendance were the Cross River, Bauchi, and Taraba state. Though, the Taraba State governor, Jolly Nyameh, later left.
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