Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 21, 2004.
PDP leaders plead for Nwafor, Assembly adamant
By Uche Nwosu,
special
correspondent, Umuahia
Moves to save Abia State Deputy Governor,
Dr. Chima Nwafor, from being impeachment peaked on Tuesday when the National
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh led an 11-man
delegation of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to the state
on a trouble-shooting mission.
Ogbeh’s team included the National
Deputy Chairman (South), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun; National Secretary, Prince
Vincent Ogbulafor; National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Venatius Ikem; National
Treasurer, Alhaji Umar Kareto Lawan; National Organising Secretary, Alhaji
Inuwa Labaran; National Financial Secretary, Mr. Toye Olofintuyi; National Vice
Chairman (North), Alhaji Bello Haliru Mohammed; National Vice Chairman (South
East), Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu; Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji
Iro Safara and National Auditor, Mr. Ray Nnaji. Former Minister of Culture and
Tourism, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and the Niger Delta Development Commission
chairman, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, also was in the team.
The delegation held a close-door meeting
with the principal officers and members of the assembly at the Speaker’s
office and Ogbeh handed down the PDP’s position on the matter to the
lawmakers.
But the Speaker, Mr. Stanley Ohajumka, said
the impeachment process against Nwafor was not initiated out of any sentiment
or hatred or because he is an Ngwa man.
Ngwa and old Bende were paralleled
divisions in the defunct Eastern Nigeria.
Ohajumka said Nwafor was being removed
because of his double speak on issues of national importance that tended to
cause disaffection among the chieftains of the party and by so doing threatened
the state and national security.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting,
Ogbeh expressed optimism that the assembly would stop the impeachment move,
adding that though the party would not interfere in the impeachment
panel’s duties, the final decision rests on the assembly.
Said he: “We will not interfere with
the judicial matter. The final decision is that of the House to take.” He
explained, however, that the only way peace can prevail in the state is for the
assembly to stop the impeachment process against the deputy governor.
