The Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, recently made a public declaration for the Peoples Democratìc Party (PDP) at a ceremony witnessed by dignitaries, including the nation’s number one citizen, President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo, among others. Assistant Editor, Saliu Gbadamosi, who was at the event, reports.

LIKE a shepherd who found one of his lost sheep, members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by the National Chairman of the party, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, last Saturday, August 28, 2010, at the Umuahia Township Stadium, trooped out in their thousands to receive the Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, back into the party, which prides itself as the largest political party in the black world, with pomp and ceremony.

There was celebration in the air; visitors to the state easily noticed that a major event was taking place, as every part of the state capital, right from the Abia Roundabout, was decorated with the colours of the PDP, while the people tirned out in various attires.

Supporters of aspirants into different elective offices in next year’s election carried various placards, welcoming the governor back into the party. One prominent placard read: “No Orji Can stop Orji’. Security was beefed up within and around the venue and, indeed, every part of Umuahia.

The epoch-making event did not just happen that day. It began, according to Governor Orji, on July 2, 2010 when he left the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), under which he won the 2007 governorship election in the state. He had found himself a lone  ranger after his colleague, Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, defected to the PDP.

Having consulted widely and on the prompting of Abians, who wanted to be in the mainstream of Nigerian politics, Ochendo decided to go back ‘home’ and declare for the PDP, a move that led to last Saturday’s history-making event, which drew virtually the nation’s seat of power, albeit temporarily, to Umuahia, the Abia State capital, with President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo; First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; Senate President, David Mark, represented by his wife, Mrs Helen Mark; former PDP National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor; Governors Marin Elechi, Sullivan Chime, Timipre Sylva and Seidu Dakingari of Eboyin, Enugu, Bayelsa and Kebbi States respectively; National Assembly members, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC); Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Senator Ike Nwachukwu; PDP Board of Trustee member, Chief Benjamin Apugo, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, among others, in attendance.

With this galaxy of ‘stars’ seated, the day’s proceedings began with the opening prayer said by Bishop Sunday Onioha, followed by the traditional Igbo presentation of kolanuts to the visitors. This was done by the state PDP Chairman, Chief Emma Nwaka, who presented the kola to the governor, who, in turn, presented it to President Jonathan and Vice-President Sambo.

Welcoming guests to the event, Chief Nwaka described it as epoch-making, in the sense that for the first time in the annals of Nigeria, a sitting president and his deputy came to receive a governor into a party. He noted that Governor Orji made a deft political move in liberating the state from a cabal which had pocketed the state for sometime now, thanking Dr Nwodo for persuading the governor to join PDP. He equally thanked all stakeholders for making it possible,  and assured that the PDP would ensure internal democracy. He promised to work with President Jonathan to achieve credible elections next year.

While welcomingOrji  back into the PDP, Chief Nwaka stated that Abia State was supposed to belong to the mainstream of Nigeria politics.

Corroborating the Abia State PDP chairman’s statement that Governor Orji had liberated the state from a cabal, which had been milking the state, referred to as ‘God’s own state’, one speaker after the other, including Senator Nwachuckwu, Chief Maduekwe, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, and Senator Uche Chuckwumerije, agreed that Ochendo  had not only liberated the state but also moved it from the “pit of hell” with a view to reclaiming its lost glory, which seemed impossible some few days earlier. The party’s standard-bearer in the 2007 governorship election in the state, who engaged in legal battles with the former governor, Chief Onyeama Ugochuckwu, noted that the state had been liberated from what he called “evil forces” and congratulated the governor for his  swift political move.

For the PDP National Vice Chairman (South-East), Chief Olisa Metu, represented by the zonal secretary, Barrister Vincent Okpaleke, the event marked a period of renansance for the party in the South-East zone. He noted that,having reclaimed had reclaimed two of the three states it previously lost, the PDP was waiting to reclaim Anambra State.

When Dr Nwodo’s turn came to address the mammoth crowd that turned out to receive the governor, it was singing galore, and he could not hide his happiness in being able to convince Governor Orji to return to the PDP, saying that“a month ago, I came to Abia State to find the missing rib with good luck and patience and, today, Goodluck and Patience are here to receive the governor back into the PDP.”

He said the presence of the dignitaries at the event testified to the celebration of unity, peace, togetherness, diligence and development in Abia, declaring that, “today, there is no godfatherism and godmotherism again in Abia.”He said henceforth, the state would witness progress and development, saying  “PDP is the happening party and it will not disappoint the state.”

After presenting all 24 members of the Abia State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Honourable Agwu U Agwu, to the crowd, Dr Nwodo then presented the green-red-white flag of the PDP to Governor Orji, signifying his official welcome to the ruling party.

Then came the turn of Orji to address the crowd. In his speech, Governor Orji said his declaration for the PDP was a divine intervention in the state’s affair, noting that, “we believe in every generation, God brings up a leader with an assignment and God also provides the necessary environment for that leader to achieve that purpose for which God has brought him.” He thanked all stakeholders in Abia politics for making the day possible. He said, “since the liberation of Abia, all major stakeholders in Abia have gathered round one man, who they believe in as the man who can take Abia to the next level. And that man is  T.A Orji, Ochendo.”

He stated that the need to lead Abia to the mainstream of Nigerian politics informed his decision to rejoined PDP, having consulted with his people who asked him to declare for the party to complete what he started with the liberation of the state from the cabal.

He assured that, henceforth, people would witness“government for the people by the people” in the state, adding that, “we are now in PDP to stay. We want to stay in the mainstream in order to bring development to the door steps of our people in Abia.” Thanking President Jonathan for coming personally to receive him into the party, Orji stated that the president was a man of destiny whom the people of Abia State would massively give their mandate to if and when the president decided to contest the 2011 presidential election. He then requested for a special package from the PDP-controlled Federal Government with a view to developing Abia State.

Like the big masquerade that he is, President Jonathan took to the podium last to make his speech, which he did not do until he invited Vice-President Sambo to address the crowd for the first time as the country’s vice president and also asked his wife, Dame Patience, to greet the people.In his speech, he declared that the day was a historic and  happy day for him. He thanked the party’s national chairman and other stakeholders, including Chief Ugochukwu, for making the day possible.

While declaring that the South-East zone was very critical to Nigeria and no party could ignore the zone, the president declared that Abia State deserved to be a leading state and, indeed, God’s own state, noting that, “today, the PDP has repossessed its possession.”He thanked the governor for deeming it fit to return to the PDP with the people of the state, noting that he was a good leader.

He restated his commitment to holding credible, free and fair elections, which everybody, including the international community, would be proud of next year. In view of this, the president urged members of the party all over the country to work hard in ensuring that PDP ‘’wins clean and fair’’ in the polls across the country in the next general election.