THISDAYonline

Through a mix of bravado though he was most vulnerable, a relentless toasting and courting of leaders of thought within and outside the state, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State has won the sympathy of a section of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and also the support of some stakeholders in Abia State. Many of those who matter in the polity now agree with him that the no PDP congress was held in the State between October 20 - November 3, 2001. The problem however remains how to move the state forward as the opposition still firmly holds their position that a congress was held. The politics unfolding in this state gives a glimpse of the subtle struggle within the power blocs in Abuja. Riding on the crest of returns from his hardsale politicking and the recent turn-around in President Olusegun Obasanjo's political strategy in the South-East, Kalu believes he would soon regain control of the party structures in the state. But the opposition, referred to as the Abuja Forces though battled to the wall has refused to give up. From all appearances,they are losing the privileges formerly enjoyed in the Presidency, but through a combination of sheer propaganda and arm-twisting to ensure they are not completely relegated to the has-beens. On Monday, August 19, 2002 when the re-scheduled PDP congress was to hold in the state, they began to implement their contigency plans to check the return of Kalu to the centre stage in the State's politics. On the morning of that day they fell back to the strategy adopted by Kalu in the disputed congress. Several chieftains in the camp, chief Ojo Maduekwe, minister for Transport, chief Onyema Ugochukwu and others were in the state, but rather than mobilise their followers to come out for the congress they remained indoors. By 7am, the FRCN Network News announced that the Congress has been cancelled according to a statement issued by Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, the Party's National Secretary. But in a quick face saving reaction, the Kalu group went to the State owned Broadcasting Corporation of Abia where they announced that no such thing has happened. The announcement was kept on air till when the whole exercise ended. The Reality group has been mobilising and holding series of meeting since the beginning of the week when it became apprent that the congress would hold, they were therefore caught of balance by the so-called cancellation and fought hard to convince their followers especially in the hinterland that the cancellation was a false alarm. To a large extent they succeded as the supporter turned out enmasse in solidarity for Orji Uzor.

Earlier in the day truck loads of heavily armed mobile policemen had begun parading the state, their mission being to maintain law and order. Members of the Kalu camp taking the annoucement on the BCA as the last word began trooping out for the Ward congress which held successfully throughout the state. Members of the state council of the Nigerian Union Of Journalist (NUJ) which saw themselves as stakeholders hired four vehicles and sent out membrs into the four corners of ths State to monitor the primaries. When they all returned at the end of the day, their reports was that the congress was successfully held, though the Abuja Camp stayed away. In a reaction to the annoucement by Ogbulafor, the leader of the team monitoring the congress, Ambassador Aminasiri Dikibo told journalists on Tuesday August 20: "Ogbulafor came to Umuahia on Saturday for the congress. He was at the party's State Headquarters. He sent some people to monitor the the congress; that is why I don't really believe the statement that tthe suspension of the congress came from him.

"I doubt if it is the national secretary that made that announcement on the radio and television stattions because he was part of the decision that the congress should be held in Abia.

"I Was directed by the National chairman to go on with the congress. The national chairman should have told me himself if anything to the contrary should be done. The party hierarchy is aware of the congress and the presidency is aware too" Dikibo further explained that the statement cancelling the congress which he saw on Tuesday was written in the personal memo pad of Ogbulafor. The chairman of a faction of the party, chief Tony Ukasoanya however insisted that the congress has been cancelled. Talking to journalists, he said: "The congress has been cancelled by the National Secretary. He has the authority of the President, so what they are doing has no meaning. "The President invited all stakeholders to Abuja from the PDP South-East , we arrived at the conclusion that the zone should reconcile, harmonise or hold fresh congresses where necessary"

But disagreeing with Ukasoanya, the party's National Vice-chairman, South-East, chief Ozichukwu Chukwu insinuated that Ogbulafor may be having a change of mind since he was at the meeting where decision to hold the congress was settled. Said he: "The National Secretary of the party attended the last meeting in Abuja. He did not say anything to the contrary when decisions were taken that congresses should be held. If he has anything to the contrary, I have expected him to have voiced it, it could have been debated, since he didi not do it, I really sympathise with him, but there is nothing we can do, this is a democracy" Substantiating Ukasoanya's position is the Assistant State Secretary, Mr Ekekwe John Egu who has some harsh words for those in support of the re-scheduled congress. Egu accused Chukwu, Dikibo and others monitoring the congress of having compromised themselves. "You know Abia is a bazaar stste, Orji Kalu has declared it a bazaar and invites anyone who wants to come and chop."

Bringing a another dimension to the crisis, Egu accused Vice-President Abubakar Atiku of being responsible for the prolonged crisis. "The South-East caucus at a meeting with the Presidency in Abuja on August 13 took a decision that there should be reconsilliation and harmonisation in Abia State, but Bode George and Atiku seeme to have another agenda, they are responsible for the crisis in Abia" He further maintained that Ogbulafor has powers to stop the congress as the chief administrative officer of the party. "The National Secretary told me that the National Leader (Anenih) in consultation with the National chairman said the thing should be called off" Indications that the re-scheduled congress might be dogged by controversy emerged on Saturday, August 17 when the State caucus of the party met, members of the Abuja Camp boycotted the meeting. Reacting to it, Senator Ibrahim Safana, PDP's Deputy National Chairman (North) and a member of the party's National Working committee (NWC) told journalits: "We made it public that the caucus meeting is going to hold. We explained the venue and time, so it is not the problem of the party if somebody has a different feeling, it is up to him, but we told them that nobody is going to be imposed"

He maintained that there will be a level playing ground and that the committee assigned to handle the re-schedulled congress will follow the party's rules and regulations. Safana is also member of the congress monitoring committee. From all indications, PDP's NEC, the Presidency and the combatants would have to return to the negotiation table. On the other hand if the situation in Ebonyi State should be taken as a case study, one can safely infer that they Abuja Forces have lost out in Abia. In Ebonyi, Governor Sam Egwu's triumph over the Abuja Forces seems to confirm that President Obasanjo seems inclined to try out a new gameplan in the South-East. Perhaps having forseen the futility of his divide and rule tactics which has fostered trouble and unrest between governors of Anambra, Ebonyi and Abia States and Abuja based politicians, Obasanjo has embarked on a realignment of forces with an eye on his second term ambition. If Egwu could swing it in Ebonyi, many believe it is a matter of time for Kalu. While the crisis lasted, he has worked assidously to undermine the Ukwa-Ngwa opposition to his second term ambition. Many believe that he is behind some of the governorship aspirants from the zone. Another factor that seems to be in Kalu's favour is the PDM factor in the State. Leader of the association Dr Max Nduaguibe have worked with Atiku in the past and they still maintain a close relationship which he has exploited considerably in getting the Presidency give its nod for the re-scheduled congress. Nduaguibe is presently the State Coordinator of NAPEP, he is from Ukwa-Ngwa axis and was AD's gubernatorial candidate in 1999. His support for another congress has pitched against his kinsmen who accuse him of having teamed up with Kalu.

Nduaguibe, a former law teacher however maintains that there had never been any congress in the state and denies that he is working Kalu. "I am not into any alliance with Kalu, I am for equity and justice, that is why I supports that a new congress be held, good enough the party leadership has agreed and I believe that will make for peace in the State"

THISDAY's investigations discovered that the status-quo does not favour Nduaguibe as the Abuja camp does not seem to have taken the PDM factor into consideration in constituting the present State executive. Additionally the lawyer does not support the manner his

Peace Eludes Warring PDP Factions. In Abia people have adopted in pursuing their claims to the governorship. "They do not have any plan on how to accom[plish their aims" He opined. The Presidency might also be willing to favour Kalu as he had promised to stop his harsh criticisms of the Obasanjo and also reminded the party that considering his support in 1999, he is not getting a good deal. Sources close to the party described how in an emtion laden voice he pleaded his case before the party leadership and promised to be a good boy. All things said and done, Kalu has the structure on the ground to give the Abuja camp a good fight whether he fights with the PDP or in another party, this much cannot be said for the Ojo Maduekwes, Ogbulafors and others whose presence in Abuja they say has not benefitted neither Ndigbo or Abia State.s