Anyim, Egwu Surrender To Ogbulafor - After Secret Deals

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 22.03.2008

THE new Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, is in for a blissful tenure in office having successfully tamed the might of the opposition against his leadership.

Saturday Tribune learnt that Ogbulafor had held secret meetings with the leading contestants during the last National Convention of the Party in Abuja, including former governors of Ebonyi State, and the former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim.

Ogbulafor has also reached out to two other aspirants, including former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Amb. Frank Ogbuewu and Benjamin Apugo, swaying them with promises which top sources said made them surrender completely to his leadership.

A top party official disclosed that the first move Ogbulafor made on assuming office was to reach out to both Anyim and Egwu, engaging them in separate talks during which he solicited their support and reached compromises with each of them.

Details of what the PDP chairman discussed with his co-contestants were not disclosed, but a source in the PDP national office told Saturday Tribune that his discussions with the aspirants were successful going by the pledge of support and solidarity they made to the chairman.

The former Governor of Ebonyi, in a chat, confirmed that Ogbulafor sought a meeting with him and eventually secured his attention. He said he held a fruitful discussion with the Chairman, who he said sought his cooperation and assistance as an elder statesman in the party.

Said he, 'Yes he (Ogbulafor) sought a meeting with me and we met. It is no big deal, because we discussed party matters and I promised to offer any form of assistance to him and the party when necessary.

"It is a party affair and I am going to do my best." Ogbuewu had similarly assured the leadership of the PDP of his unflinching support during a chat with Saturday Tribune, since according to him the new National Chairman of the party is a product of the collective endeavour by PDP members as demonstrated during the National Convention.

Effort to get the former Senate President proved unsuccessful, as his mobile phone could not be reached as at the time of filing the report.

Insiders said he equally promised to back the Ogbulafor leadership though. The truce reached by Ogbulafor with the leading aspirants in the last PDP chairmanship race is, however, lending credence to reports that he would use his office to