News

Governor Sullivan Chime To Dump PDP For APGA?

Published

10 years ago

November 22, 2014

The rivalry engulfing the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension yesterday following an alleged plan by Governor Sullivan Chime to join the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with his loyalists ahead of 2015 polls.
Reliable sources from the camp of the governor said that the decision to pitch tent with the APGA was reached when it became obvious that
the National leadership of the PDP was not disposed to allowing him control the structure of the party towards nominating candidates for the 2015 general elections.
The governor’s group had last week gone to the Enugu High court, where they secured an order against the PDP over the outcome of the congresses of the party held in the state that did not favour it .
Meanwhile, new campaign posters of Chime’s ‘consensus’ governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, which dotted the nooks and crannies of the state over the weekend came without any party name or logo, given credence to the speculation that the group may have jettisoned the PDP.
Chime was said to have sent a high-powerful delegates to negotiate with the leadership of APGA on their intention to cross over to the party.
The Guardian reliably learnt that some conditions were given to the governor and his group to use the party to vie for election next year including entering an accord that would bind them from jettisoning or leaving the party after the 2015 polls.
It further revealed that Chime and his group were also reminded of the N29million allegedly granted the party (APGA) in 2011. The grant was said to have been stopped on the order of the governor immediately
he triumphed over the erstwhile National Chairman of PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, on the then struggle for the PDP structure in the State.
Although the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh could not be reached for comments, an official of the party who confirmed the story on condition of anonymity said that he (Umeh) advised the governor during the meeting to redeem his 2011 pledge before further negotiations.
“Yes, Governor Chime sent a high powerful delegate to us in APGA.
They came for negations so that they can join us”, the source added.
But Governor Chime’s Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, said he was not aware of any such move, stressing however, that “Chime is a strong member of the PDP who has continued to deliver at every election of the party both at the state and national levels. I don’t see him leaving the PDP because he has served the party well. Those who concoct the story are being mischievous.”