Posted by UMORU HENRY on
THE political logjam between the strong man of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu and his erstwhile political son, the Oyo State Governor, Chief Rasheed Ladoja, yesterday at the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Convention reared its head as the Deputy Governor of the state, Alao Akala was seriously beaten.
THE political logjam between the strong man of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu and his erstwhile political son, the Oyo State Governor, Chief Rasheed Ladoja, yesterday at the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Convention reared its head as the Deputy Governor of the state, Alao Akala was seriously beaten.
The Deputy Governor who had his glasses shattered and his clothes torn to shreds was said to have been molested by supporters of Adedibu, just as the governor of the state was absent at the Eagle Square, venue of the Convention, leaving the Adedibu and his supporters to take over the show.
The deputy Governor had to save himself from further harassment by using the torn cloth to cover his face and sneeked out of the venue of the convention.
According to sources, the Deputy governor had no business being at the premises knowing full well that the ward, local government and state congresses conducted in Oyo state never favoured the governor's camp. It was gathered that the Governor, Rasheed Ladoja having a premonition that he may be embarrassed by the Adedibu forces decided to boycott the entire convention.
Meanwhile, though the Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and his Deputy, Mike Oghiadomhe were present at the State pavilion, Vanguard gathered that they were only there by virtue of their positions as the governor and deputy of the state which gives them automatic ticket to attend, but they never had control of the day. Though the board of trustee chairman, Chief Tony Anenih by virtue of his position could not sit with his 'delegates" at the Edo State pavilion, the political equation on ground shows that the governor only came with his commissioners while those that could be described as real delegates from the state were produced by Chief Anenih at the last ward, local government and state congresses. It was gathered that even with the arrival of the state governor in company of his Delta state counterpart, Chief James Ibori to Edo state pavilion and in view of the euphoria that accompanied the arrival of state governors to their various stands, the presence of Lucky was never noticed by the delegates.
According to a delegate from the state who spoke to Vanguard, 'it should have be better for the governor and his deputy to remain in Benin as this is a convention of those who control the party". Against the backdrop of what happened at the Edo state stand, it means it is not yet Uhuru in the state. The governor of Adamawa state, Bonnie Haruna was conspicuously absent at the convention. This may not be far from the events of registration exercise in the state where the combination of Senator Jubril Aminu and Brig.Gen. Buba Marwa took the show as well as the ward and state congresses where the Atiku and the state governor lost out to the same Aminu and Marwa.
At the Convention, Jubril Aminu had the day as he led the Adamawa delegates to the convention. Chief Chris Uba of Anambra State and a member of Board of Trustees of the party doubled as the governor of Anambra state and leader of the state's delegation.
Taking advantage of the suspension of the governor, Dr. Chris Ngige from the party, the just recalled sponsor of the party in Anambra state added colour to the entire convention as danced round the square with delegates from the state, hugging and pecking state governors at their pavilions.
The immediate past Minister of Environment and a gubernatorial hopeful in Zamfara State, Col. Bala Mande was on ground with his delegates from Zamfara State as leader of the state delegation.
Chinmaroke Nnamani of Enugu state also made his presence noticed at the convention where he danced round the square with Ebeano delegates just as he took time to embrace all state governors in their respective stands.
Former Military governor of Lagos State and a presidential aspirant, Brigadier Buba Marwa, Rtd also took the advantage of the large turn out of delegates to once again showcase himself as one interested in occupying the Aso Rock. The Soldier cum Politician danced round the venue, saluting delegates with his group, 'The Marwa Movement". Chief Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and his Osun State counterpart, Olagunsoye Oyinlola along side their delegates did same as Nnamani, Chris Uba and Marwa's group, just as the Chairman, board of trustees, chief Tony Anenih, the party chairman, Dr. Amadu Ali, his state governor, Ibrahim Idris, that of Nasarawa, Abdullahi Adamu went round all the pavilions to salute the delegates.
The Nasarawa governor, Abdullahi Adamu added glamour to it when he got to Abia state stand as it was gathered that he prostrated to greet former Secretary of the party, Vincent Ogbulafor.
The presence of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who led the FCT delegates to the convention changed the scene at the FCT stand as his appearance with his team made some members produced at the parallel congress held at Chelsea hotel who were hitherto occupying the seats to disappear into thin air. The President, chief Olusegun Obasanjo who for the first time described himself as the leader of the party also took time to go round the Eagle square to have a feeling of the pavilions as well as shake hands with the delegates especially their leaders. Diplomats and observers from within and outside the country were not left at the Convention to assess the way the National Convention went.
Speaking to Sunday Vanguard, Dr. Emmanuel Amochie, Chairman and coordinator of PDP in Togo, who noted that members of the party in Togo who number over 5,550 had put in a lot in projecting the image of the party outside the Nigeria shore, called on the government to also appreciate their efforts by including them in the scheme of things, just as he said the anti-graft war of the PDP led government was not selective.
Security was tight at the convention ground as delegates, Journalists, observers and other persons who had anything to do at the venue of the were subjected to serious search by the police and State Security Service. Heavily armed policemen were stationed at strategic positions of the venue, all the roads like the Ahmadu Bello way, Shehu Shagari Way by Bullet Junction, Millennium Park road, Nicon Hilton way, all leading to Eagle square were blocked by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC and the V.I.O.s. Police helicopter was also seen hovering round the venue of the convention as part of the security put in place.
Besides posters of Former President Ibrahim Babaginda with inscription 'the hope for a new and re-engineered Nigeria", there were that of Orji Kalu, Buba Marwa and Mamman Kontagora as presidential aspirants. Gubernatorial aspirants like Engr. Adedeji Doherty for Lagos, Kama for Adamawa state, Bello Ibrahim Gwandu and Alhaji Sani Musa for Niger took advantage of the situation to paste their posters at every available space. There were over 800 banners hung in and around the eagle square.
Traders took advantage of the National Convention to make money outside the venue of the convention where they engaged in the sale of various items like clothes, food drinks souvenirs, etc to delegates and other visitors to Abuja. A member of the party and just appointed member of the board of the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, Onyeka Onwenu at interval entertained delegates with her music.
Over twenty PDP governors with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai attended the National convention with that of Oyo, Adamawa, Abia, Taraba and Plateau State absent. Sule Lamido led the Jigawa delegates; Abba Gana and Kassim Imam led those from Borno state while Rabiu Kwakwaso Kano delegates to the convention. Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala also in her best as she danced with women from her state round the square.