How Markafi, Sheriff leadership tussle divided Abia PDP

SAM OBINNA IBE takes a critical look at the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abia state, which has resulted in  parallel state executives of the party

Beyond the current crisis rocking the Abia State PDP which was said to have been caused by the conduct of April/May 2016 Party’s congress, observers of the political trend in the state are wont to say that the crisis actually started about two years ago during the build-up to the party’s primaries where winners were said to have been either deliberately schemed out through alleged imposition of political green horns or were allowed to participate which eventually caused their failure in the election proper.
This position however underscored why the three immediate past members of the 5th Abia House of Assembly decided to fight the party now in what they described as impunity in the party.

These Honourable members, Hon. Emeka Ejiogu, that was a two time member that represented Umuahia North from 2007-2015), Hon. Chidi Nwosu also a two member that represented Umuahia South from 2009 to 2015 and Hon. Emeka Osoagbaka, a first timer who was in the House from 2011 to 2015 the trio were considered potential Speaker as the position was zoned to Abia Central Senatorial District and with the governorship slot going to Abia South and considering the fact that the governor-to-be is an Ngwa man, this in the face of justice and fairness knocked out the three local government areas of Ngwa extraction since their brother is going to be governor as “Ngwa bụ otu” meaning Ngwa nation is one irrespective of whether they are found in Abia Central or South.

Besides, this permutation, the three former law makers were not only regarded as part of the finest brains in the 5th House, were said to be bold, vocal and articulate with each having undeniable leadership qualities to pilot the 6th House speakership to an enviable level, coupled also their vast experiences but alas, this was not to be as Honourable Nwosu and Osoagbaka could not go beyond the party primary but Ejiogu against all odds, scaled through the primary was the PDP candidate of his party coasting home for the plumb office of speakership but his party was said to have did a little to project him, instead alleged to support his opponent, a green horn of APGA who defeated the much experienced politicians, Abians were looking forward to him become the next speaker of Abia House of Assembly but contrary was the case.
Hon. Ejiogu and others were not only the aggrieved PDP members, those denied tickets who left the party in annoyance to join hands with APC and APGA leaving the once dominant party going to 2015 general election with bottle of grievances.

The back lash of this was the surprise outing of APGA as protest votes against PDP paved way for the hitherto party that is not so popular not even on ground prior to 2014 -2015 to spring surprise on as Dr. Alex Otti -led the party to point of reckoning now in Abia state.
With the rescheduled national convention of PDP, it does appear that Abia PDP is still in crisis with parallel groups laying claim leadership of the party in the state.
Although Hon. Nwosu -led faction said that the forth coming convention of the party will not hold given the latest judgment of Abuja Federal High Court that sacked Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee in favour of their own accepted national leader, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

But the Chief Johnson Onuigbo- led State Exco insists that the convention would hold despite the court judgment. But followers of political events in the state have blamed the Onuigbo- led leadership for not doing enough to bring the aggrieved members into a roundtable discussion instead he is said to be fanning embers of war through utterances and statements credited to him and his exco members while the rebel group were called bunch of radicals who are fighting the party because they were not given return tickets after serving one and two terms respectively.

Reacting to the current crisis rocking the ahead of their national convention, Hon. Ejiogu, told Blueprint that he is of the opinion that the convention would not hold because the Abuja Federal High Court judgment favours their leader, Sheriff.
He noted that they are still PDP members, that the convention is not going to hold because the caretaker committee which Senator Ahmed Makarfi represents is not recognize in the party’s constitution when the incumbent has not served out his term which he said will expired in 2018.
Hon. Ejiogu further stressed that PDP is a constituted authority that Makarfi committee will not stand not minding those who do not understand what the party constitution said.

He maintained that Sheriff is their National Chairman until another convention is held while also calling for a fresh congress in the State. He pointed out that they are fighting the governor of the State but the establishment for things not done right in the party.
Asked Osogbaka to respond, he said that they are fighting to stop impunity in the party, noting that a situation where a family with some cabals hijacked the entire party structure in the state is not acceptable to his group.
He said Chief Johnson Onuigbo, the State Chairman of PDP does not have the mental capacity to lead the State exco.

Hon. Osoagbaka popularly called “gbakas” described their rumoured suspension by Onuigbos group as laughable stating that they do not have that it takes to suspend them because they are not involve in anti-party activity but merely express their feelings on the way the party is being run which he said is meant to silent vocal voices like him.
As to his comment on the national organizing secretary position zoned to Abia state with the slot said to have been given to the former Vice National Chairman of their party, Col. Austin Akobundu, rtd,  Osoagbaka frowned at this endorsement saying that this is the type of impunity they are fighting to stop in the party.

He questioned the rationale behind given him an elective slot that suppose to be competed for pointing out when this happens, you sacrifice competence to mediocrity. He disclosed that he is from the same Ikwuano LGA with Colonel  Akobundu and wondered how somebody who could not flag off State House of Assembly primary in his council area, somebody who could not win the LGA for the party in the 2015 general election even as the National Vice Chairman of their party could not be entrusted with higher responsibility like National Organizing Secretary.

He however debunked insinuations in some quarters that the reasons he and his co travelers are fighting the party in the state were because they were not given another tickets, pointing out that contrary to that view point, there was no primary election in his LGA that the said Akobundu wrote the list at Emeka Omeruah’s Guest House where he handed over to the party and that incidentally the person he chose was his maid servant who is a neophyte in politics.

To this end, he vowed that since they denied him the return ticket not minding that Akobundu, his Oboro people have gone to the Abia House for 12 years of three terms and that he worked for presidential and National Assembly elections but did not work for his party in the State House of Assembly election because it is still the turn of his Ariam people who has just did a term through him. This he said made their people voted against APGA, an Ariam man for equity sake.

Hon. Osoagbaka, former lawmaker from Ikwuano said that the only way peace will return to the party is for the conduct of fresh congress and not pseudo congress represented by Onuigbo in the state PDP.
When Blueprint reporter visited Onuigbo led exco party offices at Finbarrs street, Umuahia for his comment, he refused to talk to the reporter on the ground that he is not chanced, this is after several phone calls to his cell phone all to no avail.
Similarly, when Akobundu was contacted, he did not pick his calls nor respond to the text message sent to him intimating him of the need for his reaction, four days before going to press.