Liberation Day: PDP May Sanction Ngige
NWC meets Wednesday
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may sanction Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State for ignoring the party directive that he should not celebrate Liberation Day, the one year anniversary of the aborted July 10, 2004 plan to forcefully remove him from office.
The party described the governor's decision to ignore its order as an affront on the peace process initiated to resolve the crisis plaguing the state.
The party also said its National Working Committee (NWC) would meet on Wednesday to take a decision on the Anambra State governor's case.
PDP had in a statement on Friday directed Ngige to call off the celebration by his political associates. The party stated that "this event, billed to coincide with the first anniversary of an internal party disagreement is inimical to peace and is capable of reversing the gains so far reached in restoring peace and harmony in that state."
It also noted that the celebration will lead to further division within the party's rank.
Ngige, however, went ahead to celebrate the event, describing his ordeal in the hands of the people who sponsored his abduction using a contingent of policemen led by Assistant Inspector General of Police incharge of Zone 6, Umuahia, Mr. Raphael Ige, now late, as a "blessing in disguise."
PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Venatius Ikem in an interview with newsmen said, "the anniversary is an affront on all the good intentions PDP put in place for a lasting peace in Anambra State. It appears that the Anambra State government enjoys being the major beneficiary of the crisis in Anambra State and it does not want it to come to an end."
"The NWC of the party will meet on Wednesday to take a decision on the governor's disobedience to party directives on this matter," he said.
When asked by reporters why the party is against Ngige's action Ikem said, "Celebrating it will be a major set back for the peace process. It will not help the party in healing the wounds of the crisis in the state."
When asked whether the NWC was not taking sides by directing Ngige not to celebrate the event, Ikem said, "The decision that the so called liberation day should be cancelled was a majority decision taken by the NWC members."
On July 10, 2003, Ngige was held captive for several hours by policemen deployed from the zone 6 headquarters in Umuahia, ostensibly acting on the orders of Chief Chris Uba, his erstwhile godfather.
While he was in the custody of the policemen, a letter purporting that Ngige had resigned from his position as governor was submitted to the state House of Assembly, whose speaker, Gloria Azodo, accepted.
The legislative house then ordered that the then deputy governor, Dr. Okey Udeh, should be sworn-in as governor.
Though, the chief judge of the state did not comply with the order, Udeh went ahead to make announcement that he had become governor and reeled out some policy statements.
When Ngige was rescued from his abductors through the intervention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Tafa Balogun, he denied ever resigning.
The Anambra House of Assembly later reversed itself, impeached both Azodo and Udeh and declared its support for Ngige.
But another twist entered the controversy early this year when a suspended member of the legislative house, Nelson Achukwu got an Enugu High Court to order that the IGP should remove Ngige as governor since he had validly resigned from the position.
Balogun acting on the orders of the court has since withdrawn Ngige's security aides. Counter orders by an Awka High Court and Federal Court of Appeal, Enugu that Ngige's security should be restored have been ignored.
The Federal Government in its response to a case on the issue filed at the Supreme Court by Anambra State government had submitted that Ngige was not properly sworn-in as governor.
Various peace efforts initiated to resolve the crisis had failed as both the Ngige and Uba factions of Anambra PDP and their supporters at the party's national secretariat have continued to breach the various peace accords signed by their leaders.
The intra-PDP crisis has led to the suspension of the local government elections in the state as both Ngige and Uba could not agree on the list of candidates.
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