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PDP brokers fresh truce between Ngige, Uba � Uba�s loyalist to step down as chairman
Yusuf Alli and Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja
Armed riot policemen were called in on Thursday by the Peoples Democratic Party leadership as the reconciliation meeting between the Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, and his estranged political godfather, Chief Chris Uba, resumed in Abuja.
The policemen led by the Commissioner of Police for Operations at the Force Headquarters, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, arrived the party�s national secretariat at about 7am.
By 9am, tension mounted at the place as supporters of Ngige who trooped in with placards sang solidarity songs.
Some of the placards read, �PDP, we want Ngige,� �Ngige: You are the one Anambra wants,� �PDP stand by truth and justice,� and �Ngige: Na you, biko.�
The supporters of Uba, however, sneaked into the secretariat at about 1140am under heavy police escort.
The tempo of the songs rose when Ngige arrived the secretariat at about 12.42pm.
Before the NWC prevailed on the governor to calm his supporters as a precondition for the resumption of the talks, the police were again invited to cordon them off.
Addressing his supporters, Ngige said, �We are here for a reconciliation meeting and the meeting is about to start and it will be a very orderly and peaceful meeting.
�I want you people to cooperate with us. Nobody will cheat you in this meeting. You have to assist us to do a quick meeting and then give you the result.
�If you keep on singing, we will not meet. We have heard your song, we have heard the import of your song; we will not let anybody cheat you.�
However, the Congress of Eastern Youths in a statement by its General Coordinator, Mr. Agaptus Nwozor, and General Secretary, Mr. Inyang Orok, asked that Uba and his group should be excluded from the meeting because they were either on suspension or expulsion from PDP.
The statement read in part, �We are not aware that the suspension of Chief Chris Uba, Dr. Okey Udeh, Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, Okpalaoka and a host of others, following their indictment in the July 10 abduction saga has been lifted.
�Since their suspension is still in effect we do not see the rationale for their inclusion in the negotiations for membership of new PDP executive in Anambra State. Let not the party set a dangerous precedence that will undermine the discipline, which Chief Ogbeh has instilled in the operations of our great party.�
�We call on Chief Audu Ogbeh and the National Working Committee (NWC) to collaborate fully and exclusively with Dr. Ngige who doubles as the party leader and the highest stake holders, in appointing men and women of integrity who share his love and vision for Anambra State on the committee.�
However, around 6pm when the meeting ended, Ngige and Uba described it as successful when they spoke with newsmen.
Ngige said some vital decisions were taken, explaining that the party was on the path to peace.
He said the party structure needed to be put in place first.
Ngige said the decisions taken were to consolidate the party�s structure in the state.
Uba, on his part, merely described the talks as �okay.�
Our correspondents gathered that participants at the meeting agreed that the Acting Chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr. Obi Okoye, should continue to act in that capacity until a new congress is held.
All other officers of the party are to continue in their different positions.
It was also learnt that the chairmanship of the party had been zoned to the North of the state.
Ngige hails from Anambra Central.
A top source close to the meeting told our correspondents that while the current party structure perceived to be sympathetic to Uba would be retained, a new chairman would be elected for the party at a special congress.
The source said, �The current chairman, Okoye, who is from Anambra Central would step down for a new candidate from Anambra North.
�It was also agreed that local council election will not take place in Anambra State until there is a PDP structure in place.
�We spent the day in building confidence among the warring leaders.
�From the look of things, we are moving towards peace, if all the leaders agree to what we have highlighted.�
Opening the meeting, the National Chairman of PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said, �We are tired of the crisis in Anambra State, we want to restore peace.�
It was however, gathered that the two leaders might retire to their different camps for consultation.
An outstanding issue which was yet to be resolved was the harmonisation of the different lists of candidates by the two camps for local government poll.
The Punch, Friday June 18, 2004
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