Guardian News: Drama of Nwodo’s fall

[NewsCaster]

LAST June 17, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo became the sixth chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And exactly seven months and one day in office, he fell to the intrigues that have characterised that office since 2003.

His exit yesterday from the party's exalted office was as controversial as when he stepped in last year to replace his kinsman, Chief Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, who is believed to have paid for his sin of undermining President Goodluck Jonathan when he was the Vice President and Acting President of the country during the ill-health of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

Nwodo's sins are not also too different from that of Ogbulafor except that unlike his predecessor, it was his kinsmen, the governors from the South East zone that engineered his removal.

It was also learnt that apart from incurring the wrath of the governors, who stood with Ogbulafor in his period of trial, Nwodo also stepped on the President's toes.

In fact, The Guardian learnt yesterday that one of the reasons for Nwodo's removal is to pave the way for the rumoured South-East Agenda 2015 of producing the next President of the country.

Nwodo was also seen as too powerful by the governors, who allegedly needed a PDP chairman that can play along with them, in their bid to dictate the country's political space.

The last blow on the Nwodo's regime reportedly came from the Presidency, whose wrath he allegedly incurred by rejecting Jonathan's 50-50 reconciliation option on the Enugu State PDP's debacle.

Sources in the party said yesterday that Nwodo reneged on Jonathan's directive that he should work with Governor Sullivan Chime-led faction by sharing all the elective offices on 50-50 basis, an order he allegedly ignored.

An angry Jonathan allegedly called Nwodo where he shouted down on the sacked PDP chief, saying: "Do you know that I made you chairman. And I told you that I want reconciliation." When Nwodo still reneged, the President was said to have seen Chime as more accommodating and ready for the return of peace to the state chapter of the party.

Whatever remains of the President's respect was allegedly eroded by the South-East governors' assurances to Jonathan that they would deliver the region to him at the just-concluded PDP presidential primary, which Jonathan won, with overwhelming support from delegates from the region.

When the South-East governors started pushing for Nwodo's removal, Jonathan, a source said "couldn't say no to their request. Hence Nwodo's fall."

By sacking Nwodo yesterday, the PDP has re-enacted what has become its tradition of forcing its national chairmen to quit before the end of their tenure. Nwodo was asked to resign over alleged perjury.

Last Thursday, Nwodo attended the PDP national convention in his capacity as the PDP chairman contrary to the injunction of an Enugu High Court but claimed he did not get such that the order was vacated. Consequently, the South-East zonal caucus of the party met and passed a vote of no confidence on him and also asked the PDP to remove him as national chairman.

At the 56th meeting of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja yesterday, the issue was brought to the attention of the party's leaders and the first resolution was to expel him from the party because his action "led to the party being embarrassed and its image dragged into disrepute contrary to Article 21 of the party's constitution.''

Article 21.1 of the PDP's constitution, which deals with offences and punishment says: "Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the party shall have power to discipline any member (a) for any breach of the party's constitution, and or manifesto; (b) or does anything likely to bring the party into disrepute, hatred or contempt; (c) disobeys or neglects to carry out lawful directives of the party or any organ or officer of the party (d) engages in dishonest practices, defrauds the party, its members or officials".

At the meeting yesterday, where the PDP Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Bello, presided, he recalled that prior to the national convention, "a court in Enugu was reported to have issued an injunction restraining the national chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo from presiding over the convention, and in view of this development, the National Working Committee (NWC) vested in the Deputy National Chairman, the authority to preside over the convention.''

Bello added that despite this, "in the course of the convention, Nwodo appeared and claimed that the injunction had been vacated whereas this was not so. The national chairman fully aware that the court order had not been vacated attempted to forcefully preside over the convention.''

He stated that "this led to an embarrassing situation to the chagrin of Mr. President, Vice President, the National Working Committee and other top party leaders, the delegates and the international community who were watching.''

The PDP chief further said: "the action of Dr. Nwodo dragged the party into disrepute contrary to Article 21(1) c and h of the party's constitution.''

Bello further apprised the party elders that the South-East zonal caucus of the party had reacted by passing a vote of no confidence on Nwodo, asked him to resign and appealed to NEC to invoke the necessary and relevant sections of our party constitution to remove him from office, if the call on him to resign fails to materialise.''

He consequently called on NEC to act saying "NEC is accordingly invited to take appropriate disciplinary action on the national chairman in keeping with Article 21:12 of the party's constitution.''

Following his submission, the chairman of Benue State chapter of the PDP, Emmanuel Agbo moved a motion for Nwodo's impeachment but before it was seconded, Pat Agbati, Nwodo's aide submitted the former chairman's letter of resignation and Onyeabo Obi, modified the motion for acceptance of his resignation.

Prof. Jerry Gana then moved the motion as amended and it was seconded by a former lecturer in the University of Abuja, Dr. Nana Khadiri. The motion was carried.

The letter from South-East zone of the party conveying the vote of no confidence dated January 16, 2011, was signed by the zonal Secretary, Vincent Okpalaeke.

In his speech, Jonathan commended members of the party for conducting a transparent convention, adding ''people are passing a vote of confidence that ours shows more democratic approach than others."

He assured that those who have protested to the party over the conduct of congresses would have them treated expeditiously by the party.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, confirmed Nwodo's resignation.   

''NEC received a letter of resignation from the National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo. NEC debated the letter and accepted the resignation. Accordingly, NEC unanimously empowered the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed to assume duties as Acting National Chairman pending the election of a substantive Chairman.

"NEC also received reports of the unfortunate acts of indiscipline exhibited by the former National Chairman at the ground of the just-concluded National Convention held on 13th January 2011. NEC referred the matter to the National Disciplinary Committee, which shall handle the issues and give recommendations to NEC for further necessary actions. NEC also mandated the National Working Committee under the leadership of Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed to formally endorse and submit the list of successful PDP candidates in the just concluded primaries held nationwide to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),'' he said.

Meanwhile, feelers at the national secretariat of the party yesterday had it that former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim may succeed Nwodo. Anyim contested the chairmanship seat about three years ago before Ogbulafor got the job.

Present at the meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Usman Bayero Nafada, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, erstwhile national chairmen, Chief Solomon Lar, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd), and Ogbulafor.

All the governors elected on the party's platform except Gabriel Suswam and Sule Lamido of Benue and Jigawa states in that order, who sent representatives, were in attendance.

Drama of Nwodo's fall

[NewsCaster]