Soludo Takes Over PDP In Anambra

Leon Usigbe, Abuja and Sylvanus Eze, Awka - 07.11.2009

Anambra State Peoples Democratic self-styled godfather, Chief Chris Uba, has apparently lost out in his effort to retain control of the party’s structure in the state as its national leadership has ceded its control to the governorship candidate in the state’s 2010 elections, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.

Sources at the national headquarters of the party revealed to Saturday Tribune that the leadership, which had obviously been embarrassed by the open campaign by Chief Uba, who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), against the candidacy of Professor Soludo, made up its mind recently to dump the chieftain.

The party was, however, in a dilemma over how to proceed with the plan, but has now capitalised on the expiration of the tenure of the party’s executive committee, who are loyal to Chief Uba, to remove the party structures from his control.

It was learnt that as last Wednesday’s expiration came, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party requested Professor Soludo to nominate chairman and members for the proposed caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party in Anambra State pending the conduct of election to fill the vacant positions.

For three consecutive days this week, the governorship candidate was locked in hour-long meetings with members of the NWC at the national secretariat harmonising the names submitted by him and those proposed by other interests in the party.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the NWC deliberately kept away the entire process from Chief Uba while the final list, headed by Dr. Osita Ogbu from Enugu State, was made public.

While Mr. Anthony Muobike was appointed the secretary, names of members of the caretaker committee were given as Mr. Vincent Achigwe, Chief Chisata Okoye, Mr. Emmanuel Nsoedo, Chief Alphonsus Oguonu, Mr. K. G. Enemuoh, Mrs. Oby Okeke-Okwubanego, Chief Solomon Onyekwelu and Chief Dennis Ngene.

Others are Chief Odumegwu Sunny, Mr. Mbamalu Emmanuel, Chief Joe Oforkansi, Dr. Ugochukwu Okafor, Mr. Okwudili Uzoka, Mr. Ike Onyeabor, Mr. Handel Okoli and Dr. Harry Oranezi.

In a related development, there was jubilation in Anambra State on Friday as the news of the adjournment of Mr. Andy Uba’s case flitered into town.

Awka, Anambra State capital, since Wednesday evening was tense due to rumours that judgment would be delivered in Andy’s favour. People abandoned their work places and were seen in joints in the state drinking, making merry and discussing loudly.

One of the people at a joint called Obama Restaurant, who identified himself as Mr. James Okoye, said that the people of the state had every reason to be happy because the impression in town before Friday was that some powerful people had bought the judgment and that there would not be voting next year in the state.