http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/july/08/national-01-08-2010-016.htm



By CHIDI OBINECHE and TAIWO AMODU, Abuja
Thursday, July 08, 2010


•Dr. Kalu
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Former Abia State governor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu may well be on his way back to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if the current pressure on him is sustained.

Kalu’s impending return, Daily Sun learnt yesterday, is in keeping with a gentleman’s agreement reached about a month ago between the former Abia State governor and the new PDP Chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo.
Daily Sun learnt that prior to the emergence of Nwodo as the new national chairman of the PDP, consultations between the duo on whether Nwodo should succumb to pressures and accept the PDP job, opened the new vista of rapprochement as Kalu was said to have endorsed it and advised him to accept.

Nwodo, in turn was said to have extracted a promise from Kalu to support him to succeed. In Nwodo’s calculations, Kalu was a major thorn in the PDP’s flesh in the South-East, and would give added-value to the zone if they closed ranks to work together. Daily Sun further learnt that Nwodo expressed his desire to reignite the flickering flame of the party in the zone once again, by bringing back high networth members, and founding fathers who had left the party in protest, in the wake of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo’s third term gambit, and sought Kalu’s co-operation.

Kalu was said to have given him his word that he would return if he (Nwodo) eventually became the party chairman. Both men, who were de-registered from PDP at the same time in 2006, Daily Sun gathered, spoke on Monday to consolidate the mutual agreement. Kalu was said to have reassured that he would keep his side of the agreement if the conditions are right.

The pressure on Kalu to return to PDP heightened few months ago when General Theophilus Danjuma met with him and pressured him to return to the party. A PDP source confirmed the development, adding that the former Abia State governor may show up at Wadata Plaza, the PDP National Secretariat next Monday to keep the discussions alive, and confer with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Asked to comment on the reaction of Nwodo to the development, our source confirmed his preparedness to keep his side of the bargain, adding that he was eagerly waiting to receive him back to the fold.
“His return wasn’t a panic reaction. Kalu had promised Nwodo that he would return to PDP, if Nwodo got the mandate to lead the party as national chairman.

He had then insisted that Nwodo was someone he believed in and trusted to put things right within the party. He has only made good his intention,” the source affirmed. But reacting to the development yesterday, National Chairman of PPA, Mr. Larry Esin, denied that the former Abia governor was already in PDP. “It isn’t true.

He isn’t leaving the party (PPA). Although there are talks between the two parties (PDP and PPA), we haven’t finalized it.” Esin offered an insight into the discussions between the two parties. “The Electoral Act stipulates that for any party to merge, it must be carried out six months before election. But if President Jonathan is contesting, we are going to support him.”

The PPA has in the last few days suffered setbacks, leading to the defection of the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The only Abia State Senator on the PPA ticket, Uche Chukwumerije, also resigned from the party.

This guy needs to be assainated along with his mother.

Like God father like Godson.In Orji Kalu,a new Maradona is born.

If you read Kalu' story from Sun, then it's true. Kalu owns Sun.

The guy has become a political orphan, he knows his party PPA is dead.

He only want to return to PDP to remain relevant in 2011

All of them should be in jail.

No!!!

PDP in Abia State doesn't want you. During PPA reign, they ostracized PDP strongholds. We don't want you. Go AWAY!

EzeUche:

No!!!

PDP in Abia State doesn't want you. During PPA reign, they ostracized PDP strongholds. We don't want you. Go AWAY!

to be fair with orji,we are all aware that ogbulafor's emergence was a major contributor to his pdp exit.he could claim that change in leadership of the party brought him back.

Abagworo:

to be fair with orji,we are all aware that ogbulafor's emergence was a major contributor to his pdp exit.he could claim that change in leadership of the party brought him back.

Sorry, when did Ogbulafor emerged as PDP chairman and when did Kalu leave PDP?

Men, what did thi guy think he is, what is he trying to achieve this time?, . Moreover he is now sure PPA is a dead party

Ha ha ha,if sun newspaper says this then its true.

this move has made Ohakim a wise man
what a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess that was why his brother and chukwumerije left him for Apga.orji is an outcast

Haba kalu u no dey shame

and this the guy that want to rule Nigeria
i shudder. grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

PPA is very sick now. Its rather unfortunate that he is returning to PDP without any of his governors. I now believe Ohakim's statement that OUK wanted to use them as a bargain in returning to PDP, poor OUK he is back to PDP with nothing, hope this will teach him some good political lessons. I wish him a successful sail in the PDP but i know it will be pretty tough for him, all the landmines that made him leave PDP at the first instance are still there and are more sophiscated now. It wont be easy for him.

I wonder wat wil be Objs take in all of tis.

Nigerian politicians. No ideology.

this move will practically ruin apga chances of winning electns in abia.

just confirmed now from my friend, Kalu has finally moved to PDP.

You can blame him, he is an easterner or ibo guy, you cant really trust any of their politicians, they can sell their birthright for a thousand naira, BISI AKANDE, BOLA TINUBU, OLUSEGUN OSOBA, JIMI AGBAJE and other progressives of YORUBA extract will never do that. Easterners, is there any progressive politician among them?

seanet02:

You can blame him, he is an easterner or ibo guy, you cant really trust any of their politicians, they can sell their birthright for a thousand naira, BISI AKANDE, BOLA TINUBU, OLUSEGUN OSOBA, JIMI AGBAJE and other progressives of YORUBA extract will never do that. Easterners, is there any progressive politician among them?

I all honesty, i think Naija politicians, irrespective of tribe, are the same thing. I will not be surprised if Bola Tinuba joins PDP.

@jarus. As for those people i mentioned joining PDP, my brother forget it, this are hardened progressives who will not even hear of such thing. Remember in every democratic dispensation in this country since independence, its only the south western progressives that always give the north a run for their money, can you tell me the number of former progressive governors from the west that has join the pdp, i mean people from ad, upn, ac we just dont sell our birth right like that.

seanet02:

@jarus. As for those people i mentioned joining PDP, my brother forget it, this are hardened progressives who will not even hear of such thing. Remember in every democratic dispensation in this country since independence, its only the south western progressives that always give the north a run for their money, can you tell me the number of former progressive governors from the west that has join the pdp, i mean people from ad, upn, ac we just dont sell our birth right like that.

Looking back, I'm beginning to go with you. I have some scepticism about Tinubu though. I will not be surprised if he joins PDP.
That said, I think you're right to a large extent, especially for the old-generation SW politicians taht are still around(i.e Bisi Akande and co). But these new generation boys move from one party to another, no ideology.

Awolowo's brand of politics was ideology-driven, and so are many of his disciples that are still around. They prefer to remain in opposition as minority rather than p.ro.stitute with the ruling party just for power. I reason with you.

@JARUS, happy that intelligent folks like you still abound. The west will continue to be the only light in the country.

Seanet02

Where did the SouthWest forget its ideology when they agreed enmasse to support OBJ in 2003 only for OBJ's PDP to turn around to sweep the whole SW save for Lagos? OK sorry I forgot that you people equate ideology to party nomencleture.

PDP is not conservative because it is called PDP, neither is AC or AD progressive because of its name. Ideology is based on your political and ethical values which can be tested based on your policies and the political choices you make.

I have not seen any political party yet with an ideology in Nigeria. Please don't confuse antagonism, we-against-them-syndrome or "ability to complain most" for ideology. Where is the AC or AD on the political spectrum? where was this their so called ideology when they chose to support OBJ enmasse who belonged to a rival party? How did their so called ideology transform within 4 years from an unacceptable OBJ who no one in the west agreed with in 1999 to an OBJ who most Politicians from SW seemed to agree with in 2003? Where is the ideology when your positions or views of a PDP that has remained the same can change quickly?

In the SouthWest there is as much CEOs of cooperate organisations as there is anywhere else in the country. Have the CEOs of SouthWest origin made more effort to increase minimum wage for their workers or have they made any special and structural effort to bring about an improvement of National Minimum Wage? Thats a symbol of progressiveness or Liberalism not those who can accuse everyone else more for the woes of Nigeria and then only stick to those who speak their language. Thats not a mark of liberalism. The South West people can not lay claim to being more Liberal or Progressive or any ideology whatsoever. The only traits to ideology right now in Nigeria are simply individualistic. It simply depends on the individual's outlook to life and please kindly don't count Tinubu amongst progressives or Liberals. Liberals don't ammasse wealth that belong to others for themselves.

Liberalism is marked by improving the rights of working people and ensuring they live on a decent wage, ensuring that all Children can go to School, providing adequate healthcare for the mass of our people. Those are the symbols of Liberalism not whether Jakande can stick to his party forever.