Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbe has survived a plot to remove him from office.
* PDP suspends Chris Uba, Chris Ngige
* Sets up 8-man committee to look into Anambra crisis, report in thirty days
National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbe has survived a plot to remove him from office.
According to information filtering in, the president's men did not push the argument to force Ogbeh out of office
But Abuja sources say a deal could have been struck behind the scene, stopping forces that could have embarrassingly thrown him out of office in exchange for an agreement on the part of Ogbeh to resign honourably.
This publication gathered that what looked like a gentleman's agreement was reached at private meetings with the president at Aso Rock.
Similarly, NEC decided to suspend Chief Chris Uba and Governor Chris Ngige, the two dramatis personae whose clash of interest has turned Anambra State into a boiling cauldron.
In order to get to the root of the crisis and how to solve it, an eight- man committee was established.
It has thirty days to turn in its report.
Before the meeting held, tension rose within the rank and file as the party split almost into two, with half on the side and half on the side of the vice president whose supporters clearly want Ogbeh to stay on in office.
Obasanjo has not hidden his desire to push Ogbeh out of office, following what he considers Ogbeh's contemptuous letters and public comments.
Sources who spoke on line with the Telegraph from Abuja said the atmosphere at the meeting was as cordial
Many watchers of the political scene have been shocked to learn that the Anambra imbroglio was the only item listed as the only matter on the agenda.
Even before the meeting started, there were speculations in high places that the tabling of the Anambra crisis might be a pretentious smokescreen for the removal of the outspoken party chairman who has become a darling of most Nigerians.
Ogbeh had incurred the wrath of the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his supporters over his persistent criticism of the actions of the presidency, Ogbeh was on target and on the side of the people during the fight against the president's penchant for fuel price increases, saying on that occasion that the administration was worsening the misery of the masses.
He had said then, the administration's policies didn't appear to have a human face..
Among the president's core supporters and strategists, Ogbeh's comments were an affront.
But it was the crisis in Anambra and Ogbeh's open criticism of the presidency that really got the president's men raving mad.
Although the central working committee of the party had last year waded into the matter, this publication had predicted the matter was far from over.
Ogbeh has a few months to go in office and most Nigerians think he ought to be allowed to complete his tenure.
Our sources however, hint that his removal might not be unconnected with the agenda of a cabal within the party that very much wants to control party apparatus.
They say an Ogbeh who cannot be controlled could be a threat to the emergence of the kind of political slates that would come on board at the national secretariat as well as state secretariats of the PDP.
According to this school, risking the unity of the party and getting Ogbeh out of the way could be a lesser evil.
The calculation of this group is that after the storm, reconciliatory moves would be put in motion to bring every one back on track.
But others within the party disagree. They say that the PDP might not be able to bounce back before the state and national elections, meaning the mega party might face humiliation at the forth-coming polls.
'What is left", said one party insider who spoke under conditions of anonymity 'is a split. The way I see it, deep cleavages have appeared; cleavages that might be difficult to patch."
Said another, ' the hawks on the left of centre and the right of centre are tearing the party apart. It is terrible."
While sighs of relief are being heaved at the moment, there are fears the battle is not yet over. Will Ogbeh resign?