Is President Olusegun Obasanjo's proposed National Dialogue the way forward for Nigeria?
Presidency Orders Ogbeh Probed
PDP chairman summons emergency meeting on Anambra From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 12.23.2004
The security agencies may have been directed to investigate the activities of Chief Audu Ogbeh, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The investigation is believed to be a fall-out of the recent confrontation between Ogbeh and President Olusegun Oba-sanjo over the Anambra crisis. Also, Obasanjo yesterday directed the national leadership of the PDP to urgently sort out the Anambra crisis so as to save the party further embarrassment. THISDAY gathered that the first indication Ogbeh got that he is under security was when it was made clear to him by the intelligence services that he may not be allowed to travel out of the country for now. Also, his house in Abuja is said to be under surveillance by intelligence officers. It is believed that one of the reasons for the probe of the PDP national chairman is the aspect of his December 6 letter to Obasanjo in which he stated that "Mr. President, I was part of the Second Republic and we fell. Memories of that fall are a miserable litany of woes... I am afraid we are drifting in the same direction again." The investigation, sources said, are expected to make the party chairman disclose what he meant by the comparison between the demise of the Second Republic and the future of the present democracy. "The security agencies will need to determine whether the PDP chairman knows more than what he wrote and to look into his recent activities with a view to knowing who he has been meeting with lately and what type of discussions he has been holding," a presidency source said. The source added that the probe was just a way by the intelligence services not to take chances on political issues which have grave security implication. But apart from the security aspects of the investigation, Ogbeh's financial records are also said to be under scrutiny. THISDAY gathered that the PDP chairman is being accused of taking gratification from some of the 28 governors elected on the party's platform. Some governors are said to have induced Ogbeh and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) so as to remain in the good book of the party leadership. For instance, a source said the NSA has been told to investigate the allegation by a member of the House of Representatives that N200 million was given to Ogbeh for onward disbursement to members of the NWC for their "special interest" in Anambra State. It is believed that the investigation will extend to how Ogbeh obtained a N20 million loan facility from a bank to finance a farm project located in Kuje, an outskirt of the Federal Capital Territory. A source said security agents had already asked for records of Ogbeh's transaction at the Lion's Bank. Obasanjo had in his December 12 reply to Ogbeh's letter hinted that he would not allow the PDP chairman's remarks to go unprobed. The President had stated that "I have taken judicial note of the ominous comparisons you made between a government in which you participated that was overthrown in a coup d'etat and this present administration. I wonder if that is your wish since you may not now go out penniless." He added that "the greatest danger to any country is putting truth out of favour, extolling evils of lies, deceit, treachery, disloyalty, unpatriotism, corruption and unconstitutionality. That is my greatesst fear for Nigeria and it should be yours and that of any right-thinking Nigerian. Not too long ago, I challenged you to think beyond the ordinary, the expected and the self, I still put that challenge on the table... I will continue to act without fear or inducement." However, speaking yesterday while addressing a delegation of the PDP leadership, who paid him a visit at the State House, Abuja to discuss the Anambra State crisis, Obasanjo said the issue had become so embarrassing that he would not want to be associated with it. The delegation according to THISDAY sources was led by Ogbeh, Chairman Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih, Senate President Adolphus Wabara and House Speaker Aminu Bello Masari. THISDAY gathered that Obasanjo told the delegation that he had said all he wanted to say about the Anambra issue in the letter he sent to the National Chairman and therefore there is nothing more he could say. According to a source at the meeting, the PDP leaders complained to Obasanjo about the statement credited Governor Chris Ngige�s erstwhile godfather, Chief Chris Uba, where he admitted that the victory of the PDP governor was as a result of fraud, and urged the President to intervene. "You are the leaders of the party, go and deal with the matter as you deem fit. As for me, I have said all I wanted to say in the letter I wrote to the chairman," the President reportedly told the delegation. Ogbeh has, however, decided to summon an emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in his residence this night. The NWC meeting, it was gathered, will discuss the implication of the statement credited to Uba and take a decision on what should be the appropriate response of the party. Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, to immediately arrest and prosecute Uba for his confession about the roles he played in the rigging of the April 2003 governorship elections in Anambra State. The CNPP also wants the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Obasanjo for his alleged conspiratorial role in fuelling the crisis in Anambra State. In a statement signed in Abuja by its Secretary General, Maxi Okwu, the CNPP noted that the public confession and apology by Uba is more than enough information for his arrest and subsequent prosecution for felony. According to CNPP, "Uba is not above the law. The same Police arrested and prosecuted the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari for perjury, when he confessed that he forged his certificates, because he wants to serve the nation. "Now in the same spirit of reconciliation, Uba has confessed, let the full weight of the law take its course, unless he is above the law. "The public confession and apology yesterday by Chris Uba, on his ignominable role in the theft of the sovereign mandate of the people of Anambra State in 2003, is the denouement to the Anambra saga. It may be recalled that a similar confession had been made earlier but later denied by him in Newark New Jersey during the last World Igbo Congress. "We welcome this development and urge Uba to go the full hog by making restitution for his confession to be genuine and efficacious. "The immediate arrest of Chris Uba, by the Police authorities for immediate prosecution by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Anambra State. He should immediately proceed to the Election Petitions Tribunal Awka, withdraw his defence and concede victory to Peter Obi of APGA (All Progressive Grand Alliance)," CNPP demanded. CNPP further stated that, "The National Assembly should immediately commence impeachment proceedings against President Olusegun Obasanjo for compounding this felony against his oath of office. Secondly for the criminal rigging of the elections in Ogun State, his home state." But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described Uba's admission as news to the commission. The commission further said it is premature to comment on the development. The Commission's Director of Public Affairs, Steve Osemeke, said INEC is still studying the entire situation and will speak at the appropriate time. Also, an aide to the INEC chairman who does not want to be quoted said "the chairman's position is that Uba should go to the tribunal and present his case, since he has confessed openly that he rigged the election in the state. We have conducted the election and we are not a law enforcement agency. Our job is to conduct election and this we have done."
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