By Henry Umoru
AFTER spending 126 six days in office as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, having assumed office June, 17, 2010, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo left the country Monday October 18, 2010 for the United States of America, USA to rest.

According to Nwodo’s Special Assistant, Media, Ike Abonyi, the former governor of Enugu State was on a private visit to the United States, adding that was expected to use the trip to embark on a retreat aimed at rejuvenating him for the tasks ahead in the ruling party.

“While in the US, the National Chairman is to participate in a sober reflection retreat aimed at refocusing him for the enormous challenges of the forth coming Party primaries, the nationwide campaign and the general elections. Dr. Nwodo left Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard British Airways traveled with his wife Dr. (Mrs.) Dorathy Nwodo. The National Chairman is expected back in the country by the end of the month.”

But since he left the shores of the country, unfolding political events at the Wadata Plaza, National Secretariat of the party and in his home state show that the former National Secretary of the Party is embattled.  In fact, there is war against in the house and in Enugu State for daring to sack the Enugu State Executive Committee.
Those moving against Nwodo

Nwodo: Under fire

This time, the stones are being thrown within the roof of the plaza by same occupants, not the ordinary ones, but by those who are piloting the affairs of the party with members of the National Working Committee, NWC.

Besides the National Chairman of the party, other members of the NWC are the Deputy National Chairman, Mohammed Bello Haliru; National Secretary, Abubakar Kawu Baraje; Deputy National Secretary, Musa Babayo; National Organizing Secretary, Uche Secondus; National Legal Adviser, Olusola Oke; National Financial Secretary, Tukur Mani; National Auditor, Samuel Ortom; National Treasurer, William Makinde; National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali; National Woman Leader, Mrs. Inna Maryam Ciroma and National Youth Leader, Muyiwa Collins.

Other members though, not mandatory for them to always be at meetings are the Zonal National Vice Chairmen, such as Chief Olisah Metu (South-East); Senator Paul Wanpana (North_East); Yusuf Agade Ayitogo (North Central); Chief Edet Okon Nkpubre (South South); Danladi Sankara (North West) and Alh Tajudeen Oladipo (South West).

All these members came on board with the former National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and Nwodo inherited them. He had no choice than to work with the NWC members.

Barely nine days after Nwodo left the country, the centre could no longer hold at the Wadata Plaza. Angered by what NWC members described as his alleged overbearing attitude, non-consultation with members, especially on very critical party issues as well as arbitrary dissolution of state executives without carrying other members along, the Deputy National Chairman, Haliru Mohammed Bello on Monday led the National Secretary, Abubakar Kawu Baraje and the National Legal Adviser, Chief Olusola Oke on protest mission to President Goodluck Jonathan.

They were there to “report” Nwodo to the leader of the party. The meeting was held in the night. They were said to have told the President that as NWC members, they were kept in the dark on unfolding political issues which culminated in the dissolution of Enugu and Ogun states executives committees.

Nwodo’s ‘sins’
Prior to the Monday meeting with the President, Vanguard gathered that some NWC members had complained when Nwodo held a meeting with state chairmen of the party without their knowledge. Following their complaints, Nwodo had to apologize to the NWC members.

Other issues as gathered include an allegation that Nwodo’s wife was trying to usurp the power of the National Woman leader when the former organized a fund raising event without properly informing the office, which ordinarily was in charge. Though the office of the Woman leader was invited, but it was gathered that the National Woman Leader, Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma complained to other NWC members on the issue.

Another complaint as gathered by Vanguard were statements by Nwodo as soon as he came on board, which members alleged were too harsh. The said statements were the reason members pushed for the killing of the On_line registration as proposed by the Chairman. Members of the NWC were said to be out of the process. Sources said the chairman ought to have talked less.

NWC members are representatives of the states, and it will not be out of place if they show loyalty to their governors, who were instrumental to making it possible for them be at Wadata Plaza. It was gathered that this was exactly what reared its head at the NWC meeting where the issue of governorship candidates emerging first almost scattered the body.

Some of the governors are plotting against the National Chairman along side some party chieftains following the sack of state chapters. The one in the front burner is that of Enugu. From the on set, even Nwodo knows that the governors are very powerful within the fold of the party if he can recall the role his state governor, Sullivan Chime played when the issue of waiver came up. Without the waiver, he would have been stopped from replacing Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor as PDP national chairman.

Chime showed that as the leader of the party in Enugu State, he must ensure that the controversial waiver issue was resolved and through him, the State Chairman, Vita Abba wrote to the National Secretariat through the National Vice Chairman, South East, Olisah Metu and the matter was sealed. All is now history.

Temporary cease fire
The war under the umbrella is on as the party awaits the arrival of the National Chairman as advised by President Goodluck Jonathan that all actions on implementation process be put to a halt until he comes back.

It was gathered that President Jonathan who urged members of the NWC who were with him not to polarize the matter by issuing a statement to disown Nwodo, asked them to await Nwodo’s return.

As the party awaits the arrival of its National Chairman, it is to be seen if the crisis would be nipped in the bud or allowed to degenerate. Observers are also on the look out for how Nwodo would fight back and  the shape it will take.