ELDER statesman and founding member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Benjamin Apugo is a respected grassroot politician in Abia State and there is no doubt about it.

He played key roles in the success of the party in Nigeria and Abia in 1999 and 2003. In 2007, his party lost his State to PPA and Apugo went into political limbo as crisis and counter- crisis tore PDP apart in the state and national level.

The situation remained the same as every effort under the late Umaru Musa Yar Adua’s administration to curb the crisis rocking the party in the state proved abortive.

A development which provided opportunity for the family cabal then holding the PPA government in the state to ransom to continue to milk the state dry. The likes of Apugo was nowhere to be found to challenge the cabal,  at least to save the state from the vipers and improve the lots of the people.

Instead he remained mute, until the recent development following Governor T.A. Orji’s courageous political moves to liberate the State which resulted to his rejoining the PDP. A bold step that brought back life to PDP in the State and engendered unity among the party stakeholders in the state again since 2006.

Orji in his political magnanimity accepted and shared the political positions 50-50 with the old PDP members in the State instead of 70-30 as is obtainable in other states where governors defected to the party. While all these were happening, Apugo who happens to be Orji’s fellow Ibeku kinsman did not raise any objection as, he was duly consulted by Orji and other party stakeholders in the state.

It is also public knowledge that before these developments his sons were working with Orji’s government and are still there today. That was why many were surprised and disappointed with Prince Apugo’s recent unguarded utterances on the situation in the party in the State as published in the Vanguard of Friday, December 19, which quoted him as saying that the party may lose the governorship election in the state next year because some aggrieved  members might work against the party in the election.

He went further to query the calibre and integrity of the party stakeholders in the State whom Orji negotiated the 50-50 arrangement with.

It seems that Apugo has lost touch with the reality on ground in the State,  especially in PDP. Who are the aggrieved members that might work against the party as being pontificated by Apugo and what are their grievances against the party?

If truly there are still aggrieved members in the party, is Apugo the best channel for them to express their grievances, and when did Apugo become the spokesman of the party in the state?

Many had expected that as an elder and brother who meant well for the State and Governor Orji, Apugo would have devised a more mature and pragmatic approach like dialogue and consultation to handle the matter rather than choosing pages of newspapers to do so.

Some are of the view that Apugo’s approach and timing of his action is suspicious and in bad faith as the party is preparing for primaries ahead of next year’s election.

The party leadership in the State and national level should compel Apugo to name the aggrieved members and their grudges against the party. It is also public knowledge that Apugo is a good friend of the national chairman of the party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo whom he ably supported to ascend that position.

Why didn’t Apugo reach out to him with the necessary suggestion and proffer solution on how best the party can forge ahead in the country and the State?

What has become a source of concern to many in the state is what Apugo want in the party in the State and where and when did Governor Orji offend him. Has Governor Orji erred by bringing his sons into his government? Wouldn’t Apugo sons feel betrayed by their father’s unguarded utterances against the success of the government and party they are part and parcel of?

I believe that Governor Orji in his usual humble manner will not transfer Apugo’s sin to his children, because his children are mature enough to know what they want and their father is entitled to his opinion. As for the unknown aggrieved members that are known to Apugo alone and who are not courageous enough to channel their grievances through the appropriate authority, only time will tell who is trying to deceive who and the motives behind Apugo’s comment.

It is regrettable that a man of Apugo’s calibre is dreaming of pulling down a house he contributed in the building some years ago. It seems Apugo is not happy with the progressive development in the state following Governor Orji’s liberation movements which have paid off and is still paying off in the state.

By Ike IKALAGUM, a lawyer, writes from Lagos.