• After South East leaders visited to persuade him

 Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday agreed to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after playing host to a delegation of South East leaders in the party, who visited to persuade him.Led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwerumadu, the delegation also had Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha;  Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim Pius and the Chairman of the South-East  Governors’ Forum and Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji.Others are Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Godswill Akpabio; former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; former Senate President Adolphus Wabara,  Senators Uche  Chukwumerije, Emma Anosike, Hope Uzodinma,Ben Obi, Igwe Paulinus and Mrs. Kema Chikwe.

Yet others are members of the House of Representatives and ministers from South East.

Stating their mission earlier, National Chairman of the PDP,  Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu,  represented by the publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the visit was as a result of the resolution by the entire South-East to pay him a visit and persuade Obi to join the PDP for  more meaningful contribution to national affairs.

Metuh, who said that PDP only lost election in the East owing to Peter Obi’s integrity, forthrightness, hardwork, honesty, which had made the people to love him and to be willing to follow him at all times.

Citing the recent joining of the PDP by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Metuh said  time was ripe for Obi to also join.

Speaking, at the meeting,  Governor Akpabio restated that the PDP always lost in Anambra because of Obi, saying he wished they met Obi before the governorship election in Anambra, so that he would join and deliver the  state to PDP.

He said it was not late for Obi to join the PDP and work at the centre, for the good of the country, while describing the former governor as a man of integrity, who would be an asset to the country at the centre.

The governor told Obi and his wife to be proud of  themselves, saying: “If  some of your people do not believe in you, if we do not admire you, if they do not realise your potentials, we gathered here to tell you that Nigerians believe in you and admire you.”

Governor Orji, on his part, said:  “We are here today to discuss to future and progress of the South-East geopolitical zone with our brother, Mr. Peter Obi, who was the immediate Governor of Anambra State. Having reviewed with him the state of the country and how it affects our people, we came to the conclusion that our interest in the country is better served when we remain together as brothers and sister under one party and speak with one voice, which Obi has championed over the years. We all agreed that politics globally is dynamic and changes from time to time.

“In Nigeria, for example, we have moved from regional parties to regional politics, which requires our people staying together and speaking with one voice. We in the East should do the same in the interest of our people. We therefore, appealed to him to join the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), since that is the party majority of our people belong”

The Abia governor said Obi was the type of person the PDP needs to move on because of his integrity, saying it was not everybody that the leadership of an organisation would be united in wooing to join the party.

Contributing, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu said Obi, even when in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), extended hands of friendship to everybody that would contribute to the development of Anambra State.

He said that Obi’s demonstration of leadership, integrity, his friendship with President Goodluck Jonathan and commitment to Nigeria prompted them to come and appeal to him to join the PDP.

Also speaking, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, said the decision to come and appeal to Obi to join the PDP was a collective one occasioned by how importantly Nigerians take the former governor.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim, on his part, said he was optimistic the forum would end up convincing Obi to make definite pronouncement, insisting that the delegation would not, in fact, leave his house until he joined the PDP.

to tell Obi how serious the group was, former Chairman of the PDP, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, moved a motion for the former Anambra governor to join the PDP.

He said: “In view of Mr. Obi’s integrity, political sagacity, marvelous work in Anambra State, stabilising influence on the Federal Government, we the leaders of the PDP move the motion that you are the one we are waiting for in the PDP.”

The motion was seconded by the Minister of Works, Chief Emeka Nwogu, who said that Obi was one good man the PDP needed for his utility, not just to the President, but also to the country at large.

Mrs. Kema Chikwe, speaking on behalf of  woman, said Obi was like the  woman having an affair and begot children, saying that the event of today was akin to his mistress coming with his children to ask for the legalisation of the marriage.

He described Obi as sharing the same vision of a prosperous country with the PDP and that we would contribute more to Nigeria by joining a national party

Obi, who was  called upon to respond to the request by Senator Obi, said he was humbled by the visit, thus: “I most sincerely appreciate this visit by people I consider as important political leaders from the South-East. I thank you for your continued belief and commitment to the welfare of our people and the progress of our country.

“I have, in the past, worked closely with all of you and you know my belief about our zone working together. I assure you that we will continue to work even closer as a team in the interest of our people. Regarding your visit of today, let me assure you that I heard your kind and passionate requests and that your journey would not be in vain, but  in the best interest of our people.”

Obi said the issue of joining a national party was not about happening in APGA, but because of the need to be a competitor and not a spectator in national affairs.

After protracted request that he be given time to get back to them and the insistence of the delegates that time was of essence, Obi declared his intention to join the PDP.


Source: Sun