Jonathan’s wife wades into Enugu PDP crisis

By Emmanuel Nzomiwu REPORTER, Enugu



Wife of Nigeria’s President, Patience Jonathan, has waded into the crisis rocking the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to stop the ruling party from losing the state in next year’s general elections.

Informed sources told Saturday Independent that the First Lady, after meeting with all the parties at the Presidential Villa, favoured the conduct of a fresh congress in the state, to ensure that the party goes into elections with one house.

Those who attended the closed-door meeting were Mrs. Jonathan, PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime and his wife, Clara.

The First Lady reportedly asked Nwodo to say what he wanted in Enugu and promised to make sure that the Governor met his demands.

The PDP helmsman replied that he had no interest but only to make sure that PDP members decide the people to represent them in the party and political offices.

Nwodo further told the President’s wife that he could not address the issues in Enugu PDP properly without the stakeholders who own the party and suggested that the she grants audience to them.

The First Lady also heard from Chime and his wife, who insisted that there was a plot by supporters of Nwodo to hijack the party and deny the Governor nomination for a second term.

Jonathan’s wife consequently granted audience to a delegation of selected 21 stakeholders, to hear from them, having heard from the National Chairman, Chime and his wife.

The stakeholders who have among them, former ministers and senators, insisted that only a fresh congress could bring peace to the PDP in Enugu and the First Lady reportedly told them that if a fresh congress was the solution, then they should go ahead with it.

The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) has since set up a panel to conduct the congresses but the exercise has been stalled by an ex-parte order, obtained by the Governor’s faction of the party led by Vita Abba.

However, the intervention of the Mrs. Jonathan has sparked off a fresh controversy in the State, with both camps trading words over the aftermath of the visit to the Presidential Villa.

Former factional chairman, Ray Nnaji who has re-aligned with Chime’s camp, sand all elective positions in the forthcoming primaries in Enugu State as the only option upon which they would stop their battle against the Abba executive committee of the Party in the State and embrace peace.

But Reuben Ochi, who succeeded Nnaji as factional chairman, dismissed the claim of his former principal, saying that Chime’s wife, Clara was the person that took the matter to Mrs. Jonathan and not the national chairman.

Ochi, who briefed journalists in Enugu on Friday, said that Chime’s wife went to her senior in Aso Rock weeping and begging her to intervene in the crisis in Enugu.

“Mrs. Jonathan in her usual sympathetic manner promised to intervene in the matter, and invited the National Chairman, Chime and his wife. She asked Mrs. Chime to repeat what she told her and the lady said the same thing. Nwodo now said that it was not what he could discuss without the stakeholders and Dame Jonathan invited them,” Ochi stated.

Ochi made it clear that Nwodo does not lead his faction or any other faction of PDP in Enugu, but has only insisted that the era of governors imposing people on the party was gone and that internal democracy must thrive in the party.

He said that if Nwodo really wants to hijack party structure in Enugu as claimed by the Chime faction, then he has to do the same in Anambra, in Abia, all the 36 states and in Abuja.

What's it wt ds woman and her line of duties? Na when she become official stakeholder for pdp affairs? Is being married to d president supposed to b equal to presidential powers? Na who she b to summon a constitutionally sitted governor? No b her fault, na d dogs wey stoop so low from their places. There should b clear demarcation between authority and privileges. If there already r, they should b respected otherwise structures could b compromised and once done, it bcomes d norm.

Well sha, na pdp.

I saw this woman speaking for the first time on AIT the other day. Shame catch me. E let me know say GEJ na real village man with backward mentality.

Damn @ ibime and his disdain for GEJ and the wife. Lol. Why is she involving herself anyway? *mchew*

Who says a party must always have a new congress each time there is disagreement or crisis?

And what is the position of Mrs Jonathan in the NWC of the PDP? This people and their misrule self, how did we even get here?

madam i dey vex.

Make una leave Patience alone! She was in her house when the small girl turned mercenary that Gov Chime calls his wife went to disturb the 1st lady's peace. The 1st lady is only after a peaceful resolution. Why is Chime afraid of conducting the congress election? As a product of an illegality - he became the Gov. in a state where election did not hold. He wants to come back in 2011 same way - without election!

Nwodo is right, the era of shortlisting should be discouraged.

jabbok:

Make una leave Patience alone! She was in her house when the small girl turned mercenary that Gov Chime calls his wife went to disturb the 1st lady's peace. The 1st lady is only after a peaceful resolution. Why is Chime afraid of conducting the congress election? As a product of an illegality - he became the Gov. in a state where election did not hold. He wants to come back in 2011 same way - without election!

Nwodo is right, the era of shortlisting should be discouraged.

I do not remember elections holding here in Rivers state either but that Sullivan is the best and only performing South-Eastern Governor.

Ibime:

I saw this woman speaking for the first time on AIT the other day. Shame catch me. E let me know say GEJ na real village man with backward mentality.

Lol @ Ibime!

Nna wetin be your problem sef?

If you have an enemy please make him or her watch Madam Dame Mrs Patience inaudibles Jonathan

he'd rather be water-boarded than watch this woman for 5 mins!

Dis Guy:

If you have an enemy please make him or her watch Madam Dame Mrs Patience inaudibles Jonathan

he'd rather be water-boarded than watch this woman for 5 mins!

KAI!!! @ bolded! no let GEJ catch you O!

Abagworo:

I do not remember elections holding here in Rivers state either but that Sullivan is the best and only performing South-Eastern Governor.

In terms of Chime's performance, u r right. But let due process takes its course simple.

So what was the transport fare doled out to the invitees?

mikeansy:

Who says a party must always have a new congress each time there is disagreement or crisis?

And what is the position of Mrs Jonathan in the NWC of the PDP? This people and their misrule self, how did we even get here?

product of pdp arrangee politics !

Ibime:

I saw this woman speaking for the first time on AIT the other day. Shame catch me. E let me know say GEJ na real village man with backward mentality.

Really is it within the office of the first lady (that is if there is one) to mediate in such matters? Is this not an issue for the PDP and it's ruling council?

I would like to know how she got involved, what is her interest?

sochan:

Really is it within the office of the first lady (that is if there is one) to mediate in such matters? Is this not an issue for the PDP and it's ruling council?

I would like to know how she got involved, what is her interest?

Even though she has no office she can always settle issues on friendly grounds but the message is clear that Nwodo is hell bent and has the capability to remove Chime.I will advice Sullivan to leave PDP for another party.PDP is dying.

@Abagworo,

This is an internal party squabble, and I do not accept that she should be in a position to effectively and fairly mediate. The PDP if a properly organised and run party should have a council in place that deals with such issues.

I think the presidents wife must be left out of this. I find it highly unlikely that a governor from any state in the US would take a problem he has with the democratic party leadership to Michelle Obama to settle? It is a party issue and must be dealt as such.

But like you have suggested, if the heat is too much for Sullivan, then let him leave and join APGA or maybe ACN. PDP like you have said is dying, and a lot of us have shovels to bury it.

Make una leave Patience alone! She was in her house when the small girl turned mercenary that Gov Chime calls his wife went to disturb the 1st lady's peace. The 1st lady is only after a peaceful resolution. Why is Chime afraid of conducting the congress election? As a product of an illegality - he became the Gov. in a state where election did not hold. He wants to come back in 2011 same way - without election!

Nwodo is right, the era of shortlisting should be discouraged.

@jabbok,
how did patience and her husband come to aso rock? maybe, u have forgotten so soon. they are products of criminalities against u and i. their selection was a denial of our constitutional rights to vote and be voted for.
men whose eyes are covered with viel cannot clean other pple's eyes.
jonathan and his husband or patience and her wife wo not have moral standards to discuss a peaceful congress when they are still enjoying the benefits of fraudulent selections of 2007.

Forget her English, underestimating thi woman will be the greatest undoing of GEJ opponents. Am no fan but she is really smart, a master strategists and she is the real politician. She was the one who got her husband to the position of Dep Governor, she was d politicain, did a lot of grass root mobilization and they asked how to reward her and the dep Gov slot was what she requested for. She has pushed him all through. If Goodluck does win, its not cos of Obasanjo but more of this woman. She is really smart, and that people see her as dumb plays well for her

@Aisha2,

Thanks for the insight, but not quite sure why she should be involved in political mediation at this level. Does PDP not have a process in place to deal with issues like this?

I'm from Enugu. When I visited home last month, my uncle Ws telln me abt d internal political problem of pdp on d state. He blamed d Nwodos for greed. He said Chime canvassed and lobbied for Nwodo to b made d chairman when Ogbulafor Ws removed. Before then, Nwodo had lobbied for senatorial position for his wife with d governor wc he agreed to. After Nwodo emerged d chairman, he again demanded dt his brother b given d house of rep slot wc d governor turned down claiming its not just his family and cronies dt deserve d high offices. Since then Nwodo started arm twisting d governor wt his present position as chairman into submission. Dis is d account my home based uncle told me.

I'm not a pdp admirer, but it is crime against God and conscience to deny dt Chime has performed credibly. Majority of d folks I met r in full support of his re election. I also support it. If nepotic dinosaur like Nwodo feels his family interest is above dt of d common man in d state, may God judge them openly and speedily.

goodluck and his criminal wife cant wait for them to leave aso rock! bloody opportunist

@homerac7,

If Chime reallt feels insensed , then he should decamp. if he is confident of his achievements, then he will get re-elected, he must not stand for the rubbish that PDP represents

^^^

Maybe decamping now will b playing into d opposition's hands. Maybe its going to b d last minute resort for him after all chips r down. Maybe just to cripple d enemy before abandoning ship. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe. I don't know.