ENUGU—THERE were strong indications yesterday in Enugu that the Ikeje Asogwa-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Enugu State chapter might be planning to pitch its tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, to further its political ambition.

Vanguard checks round Enugu metropolis revealed that most recent campaign posters pasted all over the city by the Asogwa-led members had no logo of the Peoples Demoratic Party, PDP, on it.

Chime’s candidate

Similarly, the anointed candidate of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s posters shared the same features of not having PDP logo on it.

It was learned that the governor’s decision to pitch tent with APGA was reached when it became obvious that the national leadership of the PDP was not disposed to allowing his anointed candidate, Ugwuanyi, to emerge as the party’s flag-bearer in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Both Governor Chime’s supporters and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu loyalists have been at daggers-drawn over list of PDP ward/ council congresses in the state, prompting litigations.

The source claimed Chime was said to have sent a high-powered delegation to negotiate with the leadership of the opposition party, APGA, on the intention for a possible cross over to the party.

APGA conditions

According to the source, among conditions given to Governor Chime and his group was that there must be undertaking that none of them would jettison or leave APGA after the 2015 general polls.

It was also gathered that Chime and his group were also reminded of the N29million allegedly given to the party ,APGA,in 2011, but said to have been stopped by the governor immediately he triumphed over the erstwhile national chairman of PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, during the struggle for the PDP structure in the Enugu State, then.

The speculation over Chime’s loyalists’ alleged impending defection to APGA heightened after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice E. S. Chukwu, Tuesday declared Elder David Aja as the authentic Chairman of PDP, Enugu State chapter, pending the appointment of another chairman from the area where the immediate past chairman of the party hails from.

Abba on APGA move

However, the immediate past Chairman of the party, whose resignation threw the party in turmoil, Chief Vita Abba, loyal to the Chime camp, when contacted, said: “I do not have any information on the plan or move to APGA. I am not aware.”

Recall that Governor Sullivan Chime had on Tuesday, while addressing a crowd of party stakeholders, reiterated  that the party remained the only viable vehicle to elective offices in the state, arguing that anyone who chose to leave the party was seeking his own retirement from politics.