Apkabio, Amaechi, Imoke, Other PDP Governors Abandon Ogbulafor

PHOTO: EMBATTLED PDP CHAIRMAN CHIEF VINCENT OGBULAFOR AFTER HIS VICTORY AT THE PDP CONVENTION.

San Francisco, April 24, (THEWILL) – The battle for the control of the machinery of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has split the once united influential PDP governors into pro-Ogbulafor and anti-Ogbulafor groups.

THEWILL checks on Saturday revealed that the 29 state governors elected under the PDP platform have split in their support for the embattled PDP Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, who will be arraigned in court on Monday, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC), on a 16- count charge of fraud. The party chairman is accused of misappropriating over N170 million naira belonging to the party.

Ogbulafor fell out with Jonathan after he announced that the PDP would adhere strictly to its zoning formula which technically makes Jonathan ineligible to run for president under the party’s platform in the 2011 election.

A splinter PDP group under the aegis of the PDP Reform Group, whose members were suspended by the party’s leadership some days ago, have called for his resignation and a dissolution of the party’s executive for poor leadership.

The governors who seem to have abandoned Ogbulafor have done so for fear of not getting a second term ticket should anti-Ogbulafor forces, which seem to have Acting President Jonathan’s support, succeed in ousting him. Some of them are: Liyel Imoke, Cross River; Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State; Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom; and Mahmud Shinkafi, Zamfara State amongst others.

But pro-Ogbulafor governors are not giving up without a fight. Some of the pro-Ogbulafor governors are Bukola Saraki, Kwara State; Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta State, Timipre Sylva, Bayelsa; and Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Niger State amongst others. They are pushing to retain Ogbulafor or worse case have the party’s deputy chairman from the north, Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello, replace him.

Party sources say Ogbulafor may be forced to stand down as party chairman next week because of his trial.

Meanwhile the members of the PDP Reform Group have gone to court to challenge their expulsion from the ruling party. Those expelled include a former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani; former Speaker, Hon. Aminu Masari; former PDP governorship Candidate for Abia State, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu as well as Chief Tony Ukasanya, a party chieftain from Abia.

Others are Senator Adolfus Wabara, Chief Sunny Iroche, Senator Emmanuel Agboti, Senator Sylvanous Ngele; former Imo State of Governorship Candidate, Senator Ifeanyichukwu Ararume; former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa; a former Political Adviser to the president and PDP presidential aspirant, Chief Rochas Okorocha; former Akwa Ibom State Deputy governor, Chief Chris Ekpeyong; Chief Abiye Sekibo; amongst others.

The National Executive Committee of the party is scheduled to meet this Tuesday in Abuja.