Is President Olusegun Obasanjo's proposed National Dialogue the way forward for Nigeria?
How Ogbeh Concealed Fraud, By Uba
� It�s absolute nonsense, says PDP national chairman By Tokunbo Adedoja in Lagos, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu in Enugu, 12.22.2004
Anambra Polls
Chief Chris Uba, the enstranged godfather of Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State yesterday alleged that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, helped to conceal facts on the manipulation of the April 19, 2003 gubernatorial polls in which the party candidate was declared winner. While commenting on an earlier disclosure by President Olusegun Obasanjo that Ngige admitted that the PDP did not win the last gubernatorial polls, Uba in a seven-paragraph statement affirmed that he and Ngige had equally told Ogbeh that PDP did not win the election. He said Ogbeh asked him not to make any public disclosure of the facts when he wanted to. But Ogbeh in his reaction yesterday said Uba's claim was "absolute nonsense". He equally challenged the businessman-politician to send the evidence to back his claim on election rigging to Anambra Election Petition Tribunal which is still hearing the petition by All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr. Peter Obi. Also, Ngige reiterated his earlier position that he never admitted losing the election either in the presence of Obasanjo or Ogbeh. In the statement, Uba expressed regrets for his role in the manipulation of election results in favour of Ngige and asked for the forgiveness of the people of Anambra State. He added that after the governor made the confession before Ogbeh, the PDP chairman advised both of them to "keep quiet on the issue." He said that he is also in possession of the certificate of return of the governorship election and would at the appropriate time make copies available to the press. He explained that as one of the main activists in the entire saga, he believes the moment of truth and remorse has come. Expressing deep regret for what he called "my error and some of my actions in winning the election," Uba said "my mistake for which I asked for understanding stemmed from my belief that election is like a battle and since all is fair in war, I believe that the end justifies the means in an election. We did everything possible to put Ngige in power." The full text of the release reads: "As the truth of Anambra issue is being gradually revealed and denials and lies are being traded, I believe that as one of the main activists in the whole issue, the moment of truth and remorse has come. "First of all, let me express my heartfelt regret for my error and the activities involved with others in Anambra to put Ngige in power as the governor of the state. "In showing remorse, I sincerely ask for understanding and forgiveness of all our people in Anambra state and those Nigerian leaders and citizens who have been affected and insulted by the Anambra issue. "My mistake for which I ask for understanding stemmed from my belief that election is like a battle and since all is fair in war, I believe the end justifies the means in an election. We did everything possible, to put Ngige in power. In the presence of the President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, I asked Dr. Chris Ngige whether he actually won the election, he confirmed he did not win the election. The President drove us out. As from that point, he did not want to listen to our story again. "At another occasion after that, I had the opportunity, when Chief Audu Ogbeh invited Dr. Chris Ngige and myself to his House to tell the same story. Again Dr. Chris Ngige confirmed before Chief Audu Ogbeh that he did not win the election, when I asked him the same question. Because he was more attentive than the President, I told him that even the certificate of return of the Governorship Election was in my custody and at the appropriate time, I will make the copies available to the press. Chief Audu Ogbeh advised that we should all keep quiet on the issue of governorship election in Anambra. I obeyed. "As time goes on, the truth will be more and more exposed and I can only hope that justice will prevail. "Once again, I deeply regret my error and some of my actions in winning the election which in the end have caused some people inconvenience". The latest revelation follows the letter written by Obasanjo to Ogbeh last week where he alleged that Ngige, in response to a question from Uba, during a parley he had with them at the Presidential Villa, confessed that he did not win last year's Anambra governorship election. In the letter dated December 6, 2004, Obasanjo wrote, "I got the shock of my life when Chris Uba looked Ngige straight in the face and said: 'You know you did not win the election and Ngige answered 'Yes, I know I did not win.' Chris Uba went further to say to Ngige 'You don't know in detail how it was done.' I was horrified and told both of them to leave my residence". Ogbeh who reacted through his Special Assistant, Mr. Thompson Abu, said "this is absolute nonsense and if Chris Uba is a patriotic Nigerian and he has any evidence of any electoral malpractice, the right and proper thing to do is to take such evidence to the electoral tribunal that is properly constituted, rather than addressing press conferences and making noise." Ogbeh called on Uba to head for the tribunal and submit his evidence instead of threatening to address a press conference. The PDP chairman also reminded Uba to bear in mind that he is still an expelled member of the party and therefore has no obligation to protect the party's secrets. The Anambra State Government in its comment on Uba's claim signed by Fred Chukwulobe, the governor's Special Assistant on Media and Publicity stated that: "Governor Ngige has never admitted before anybody to have lost the elections. The claim by Chief Chris Uba that the governor did so before President Obasanjo and Chief Audu Ogbeh is untrue. This is not the first time Chief Uba is making this wild allegation; he did so in the US last September and later recanted it. "The matter of the elections is before the Election Tribunal and it is subjudice to continue to comment on it. The tribunal and the courts are there to adjudicate on the issues pertaining to the elections. We have confidence in the courts and believe they will do justice. "Chris Uba and Mr. Peter Obi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) have a new alliance to unseat Governor Ngige and part of the plan is to employ media blackmail in order to intimidate and stampede the courts and the election tribunal. "The government believes in justice and is, therefore, waiting for the verdict of the tribunal."
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