By Chioma GABRIEL,Deputy Editor and Anayo OKOLI
Indications that the Abia governor Theodore Orji may join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was confirmed yesterday when a retinue of  high powered PDP leadership besieged his lodge to woo him to the party. Sources revealed that the Abia governor is consulting to know if joining  PDP would do Abia state good politically.

This is coming barely three weeks after he decamped from the Progressive Peoples Alliance [PPA] to the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA].

Abia governor Theodore Orji may

The group made up of PDP stalwarts of the South East includes Martin Elechi of Ebonyi, Sunday Onyebuchi, Enugu state deputy governor, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, Internal Affairs Minister, Labour Minister, Emeka Nwaogu, senators Osita Izunaso, Nkechi Nwaogu and Uche Chukwumwerije amongst others was led by the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

“Our mission today in Umuahia is a big occasion. PDP in Igbo land came to Umuahia to look for our missing rib”, Nwodo who started his address in Igbo language said.

Nwodo said that he was encouraged to approach governor Orji because of the maturity he showed by joining PDP governors in the zone to receive him in Enugu even as a non_PDP member.

“When I was chosen as the PDP chairman, I resolved to bring Igbos together. I have not even started when Igbos on their own started coming together, by coming out in Enugu to receive me despite party differences.”

Nwodo regretted that because of some of these inadequacies brought about by imposition of incompetent people on the people, the party has not been able to fulfill the covenant of good governance and good life to Nigerians.

“If you are afraid before that there was imposition, that there was restriction one way or the other, all those obstacles are being removed. PDP beckons on you to come and join.

“But before now, [election] results were being written for us. We imposed people within our party. Now, we want you to elect your leaders and they will provide the covenant, and we will present the best 11.

“Today we are here to select one of our best 11. We have watched him in the governance of the state. Abia must participate in the national governance. We need a united voice, a strong voice in Nigeria so that the demands of Igbos will be heard. We cannot afford to have a divided voice. We will continue and get our all our missing ribs”, Nwodo said.

PDP has wiped away my tears —  Gov Orji

Responding to the speech made by the national chairman of PDP during the visit of the party stalwarts to his lodge, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State expressed happiness over the visit even as he commented that there were some faces he was looking for that were not there.

“Today’s visit will remain indelible in my mind. Remember that I belong to a political party before now. Most of you are aware that the political party I belonged to decided to rubbish me. But today the National chairman of PDP has come to wipe my tears away. He has come to tell the world that I am a sellable material, and have all the potentials of a good politician and I thank you for lifting up my image.

The PDP national chairman should be commended for his efforts in achieving peace in the zone because he has achieved a feat the former National Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor could not achieve.”.
Orji however reminded the group that  he is still a member of APGA in spite of the move to lure him to the PDP and will need to make consultations..

“This is not a decision I will make alone, because a lot is involved and the paramount is integrity. I need the widest consultation from residents of the state, and what the national chairman said will be the basis for consultation. But bear it in mind that I still have my APGA ticket”

Orji will consider PDP —Metuh, zonal chairman of PDP

Reacting to the controversy the visit to Abia governor was generating, the South East zonal chairman of the PDP , Chief Olisa Metuh expressed confidence that Governor Orji will consider the PDP option. According to Chief Olisa Metuh, the stalwarts of the party in the South East visited Orji in his lodge and discussed with him.

“ We went to his lodge today [yesterday] with the national chairman of the party, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former national chairman, Vincent Ogbuluafor, South East ministers, PDP senators and reps and several others.

“ We told him that it is in the interest of the South East for him to join the PDP for his state to fully reap the dividends of democracy and he said he will think about it and consult his people. We are expecting him to consult and get back to us but we will get back to him.

We believe the South East will fare better under a mainstream political party like PDP and we need to move this zone forward politically. We are confident Orji will come along because, PDP is a party to belong”.

He should not commit political suicide  —  Okorie, APGA

But factional chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA Chief Chekwas Okorie in an interview with Saturday Vanguard said leaving APGA for PDP would spell political doom for governor Orji. According to Okorie,  joining PDP will annihilate Theodore Orji politically.

“ I spoke with him yesterday  when the rumour of his decamping to PDP became very strong and I advised him to be very diplomatic with PDP. But what I know is that Orji is under pressure from the PDP to join the party.

He told me that some PDP  governors of the South East , PDP senators , Reps, Ministers and other party stalwarts came to him yesterday morning but that he told them that he has already joined APGA and cannot just leave. He said the PDP stalwarts said that it is in the interest of the South East for him to belong to one big political umbrella.

“ What PDP should know is that Orji made consultations before he joined APGA. Indeed, it is not politically wise for Orji  to join ranks with his former boss, Orji Uzor Kalu. If he succumbs to pressure, that would mean political suicide for him because what PDP wants  to do is annihilate him politically.

Governor Orji should know that he would be going back to his former boss, Orji Kalu and his arch political enemy, Onyema Ugochukwu .and others who tried to frustrate him in the past and that will not augur well for him politically. He should not make that mistake,” Okorie said.