what of apga?

Ola edo:

Not so fast!!!

[size=15pt]Enugu gov may dump PDP for ACN[/size]

Politics Jan 8, 2011

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor
The faction of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), loyal to Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State is contemplating its future within the party following fears that the governor and his loyalists would be denied tickets in the general elections.



The governor’s camp, Sunday Vanguard learnt, is in talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, on a possible defection of the faction to the party. The talks were held in Abuja on the fringes of last week’s secret meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of ACN. The Chime group, according to reliable sources, was led by a member of the National Assembly.

The Chime faction has the governor, all but two members of the Enugu State delegation to the National Assembly, all members of the Enugu State House of Assembly and commissioners.

A senior official of ACN, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed the talks.The Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, however, played down the reported move, saying the governor was going nowhere, insisting the talks to reconcile the two factions were in favour of the governor.

At press time, the involvement of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in the planned move could not be confirmed. Ekweremadu, who is an integral member of the Chime group and has led negotiations with the Nwodo camp, risks losing his ranking and position in the new Senate should he defect. Repeated efforts to contact him on the development at the weekend were unsuccessful.

Significantly, ACN is insisting on a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with the Chime faction that would debar them from decamping back to PDP should they be accepted within the party.

Besides ACN, the Chime group, Sunday Vanguard further learnt, is weighing the option of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, should the talk with ACN fail. Ironically, APGA is also insisting on an MoU to check the Chime group from returning to PDP after the election. Chime, it was learnt, is to hold talks with his brother-governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to help concretise the talks should the ACN talks completely flounder to a halt.

The frustration of the Chime group follows the breakdown of the negotiations as directed by President Goodluck  Jonathan between the Chime group and the group led by the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo, to reconcile with one another. At the centre of the reconciliation efforts was the directive that the two parties should share the executive on a 50:50 basis and, by that, avoid the rancour that could flow out of a congress.

While the governor’s group had agreed to it, the Nwodo group, it emerged, later backed out on the fact that the “sharing” was contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act that specifically directed that congresses and other democratic methods should be employed to select party officials and choose party candidates for elections.

The Nwodo group had consequently organised its own congress where officials were chosen to the chagrin of the Chime group. There are fears that the Nwodo group could, as such, give the Chime group a fait accompli by organising primaries for political offices that could leave the Chime group out in the cold.

Remarkably, while almost all other states have conducted their party primaries to choose candidates for the forthcoming state and federal legislative elections, Enugu, at press time was yet to conduct its own primaries as a result of protracted crisis that has lately engulfed the state chapter of the party.

The frustration of the Chime group, it was further gathered, was on the limited time available to it to get a platform to present its candidates for the election as the Electoral Act puts January 15 and only through democratic primaries.
Elements within the Nwodo camp had in the last week gone to Court twice to uphold the congress as conducted by the group which has left the Chime group in the cold.

Remarkably, the court is yet to accede to the quest for an exparte injunction as requested by the group’s members.

The scene now playing out in Enugu is being compared with what happened in the party in 1999 when members of the PDP loyal to Chief Jim Nwobodo defected to the Alliance of Democracy, AD, to contest against the official candidates as presented by the PDP in the Senate race. Remarkably, Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo,  presently the national chairman, was then the national secretary of the party who allegedly used his position to foist the candidates of his choice on the party as opposed to the candidates as favoured by Nwobodo.

In the election, the Nwobodo protegees won the election on the platform of the AD but subsequently defected to the PDP. The ACN and APGA are now insisting on an MOU to forbid the Chime group from defecting should they be offered the party tickets.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/01/enugu-gov-may-dump-pdp-for-acn/

The power of Ekiti persuasion. . . .no?

Kobojunkie:

what of apga?

There are indications that APGA and ACN will merge.

I like the ACN so much. It's becoming scary the way most people that can't find their feet in PDP are rushing to ACN, most of them tend to go back when they win , then they'll need PDP folks who are definately experts in stealing public funds. The good ones should be welcomed though.

afam4eva:

There are indications that APGA and ACN will merge.

Proof?

afam4eva:

There are indications that APGA and ACN will merge.

is that not better

why should us igbos and yorubas look at the differences all the time, we should learn to work together with each other and other groups for nigeria

Men= Ribadu+Fashola+Sanusi

Boyz= GEJ+ATIKU

Old fools= OBJ+IBB

Kobojunkie:

what of apga?

I hope they merge. If that happens, I can see a two party system in Nigeria.

alj harem1:

is that not better

why should us igbos and yorubas look at the differences all the time, we should learn to work together with each other and other groups for nigeria

Worry about ANPP and stay out of Yoruba and Igbo business.

afam4eva:

There are indications that APGA and ACN will merge.

Amen ooo!

jason123:

I hope they merge. If that happens, I can see a two party system in Nigeria.

2 party is definitely better than the 50 party system we have now.

Ola edo:

Worry about ANPP and stay out of Yoruba and Igbo business.

You type like omenani and/or ochi-agha

Ola edo:

2 party is definitely better than the 50 party system we have now.

True, atleast there would be REAL competition and once a political party does not deliver, it would be kicked out!!!

jason123:

True, atleast there would be REAL competition and once a political party does not deliver, it would be kicked out!!!

IBB tried that before but it aint work. do u think it can work now and what about Ali haram's ANPP?

May their union be blessed

There are also indications that former Military governor of Lagos stae, Marwa might join the ACN in Adamawa State, saw it on the news yesterday that he left the PDP. It's very important that the PDP loses as many state as possible in 2011.

jason123:

I hope they merge. If that happens, I can see a two party system in Nigeria.

Be careful what you wish for.

This ACN is really gaining ground all over Nigeria.

Ola edo:

Worry about ANPP and stay out of Yoruba and Igbo business.

here we go again well since i am a nigeria of both igbo and kanuri origin, i have very reason to comment of what so ever thrend as i feel like or deem fit

Kobojunkie:

Be careful what you wish for.

Why?

Ola edo:

IBB tried that before but it aint work. do u think it can work now and what about Ali haram's ANPP?

I think with time, ANPP has not choice but to join either PDP or ACN expect they do not want to participate in NATIONAL politics.

afam4eva:

This ACN is really gaining ground all over Nigeria.

i agree

jason123:

Why?

I think with time, ANPP has not choice but to join either PDP or ACN expect they do not want to participate in NATIONAL politics.

So, am I to understand that you also pick and choose which issues you apply the 'Nigerian factor' to when analyzing?

afam4eva:

This ACN is really gaining ground all over Nigeria.

True, we are gaining gound together!

jason123:

True, [b]we [/b]are gaining gound together!

Who's WE.

Kobojunkie:

So, am I to understand that you also pick and choose which issues you apply the 'Nigerian factor' to when analyzing?

I really do not get you! I asked a simple question, "why do you want me to be weary of a 2-party system?" and this is what you come up with . NA WA OO!!!

afam4eva:

Who's WE.

I apologise, I thought you were an ACN supporter.

chime wasted his four years in office - structure wise. How can a sitting governor be so scared of conducting state congress in his own state? His purported move to ACN might be a rumour as he is also not in good terms with ACN big wigs in ENUGU.

jason123:


I really do not get you! I asked a simple question, "why do you want me to be weary of a 2-party system?" and this is what you come up with . NA WA OO!!!

Here is a simple answer . . . we are not mature enough for a two-party system.

Kobojunkie:

Here is a simple answer . . . we are not mature enough for a two-party system.

Okay.

jabbok:

chime wasted his four years in office - structure wise. How can a sitting governor be so scared of conducting state congress in his own state? His purported move to ACN might be a rumour as he is also not in good terms with ACN big wigs in ENUGU.

Maybe he is not your 'typical nigerian' politician.fashola rings bell?

Kobojunkie:

Here is a simple answer . . . we are not mature enough for a two-party system.

Are we mature for anything.

asha 80:


Maybe he is not your 'typical nigerian' politician.fashola rings bell?

Yes Chime is not. In as much as he is performing marginally well in Enugu, he still needs to lubricate his party machinery. This he didnt do and behold, the day of reckoning is here for him. Federal allocation is TOO LARGE for a Governor, his concubines and family!