Sunday, January 2, 2005

Babangida In Otta Ahead Of PDP Meeting
BY IDOWU AJANAKU

FORMER Military President Ibrahim Babangida yesterday held a closed door meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Otta farms in Ogun State.

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Top on the card of the meeting, which lasted several hours, was reportedly the face-off between the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh and President Obasanjo.

Indeed, pro-Babangida elements within the party have been calling for the removal of Ogbeh and his National Working Committee (NWC) following the widely publicised exchange of letters between the two.

General Babangida also reportedly used the spirit of the New Year to pledge his loyalty to Obasanjo.

Sources close to the meeting said that the President and his guest might have discussed issues that would give direction to next Tuesday's planned meeting of the PDP's NWC to decide key national issues.

Although details of yesterday's discussions remained foggy at press time, watchers say Babangida may have been under pressure from his supporters to ensure that Ogbeh, who many of them see as not comfortable with the presidential ambition of Babangida, is relieved of his post as Chairman of PDP.

The decision of the President to solicit Babangida's support in the move to sack Ogbeh is traceable to "the low level of support the President has within the (PDP)."
Twenty-four of 28 PDP governors are said to be opposed to the removal of Ogbeh. It was the governors that saved Ogbeh's job during the last NWC meeting of the party in Abuja.

However, pro-Ogbeh forces within the party are said to have vowed to ensure that he retains his job. Sources told The Guardian that most of the governors, who are supporting Ogbeh, have been reaching to the elders within the party to draw support for him.

Besides, the forces are reportedly against any resolution that will ask Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State to resign his appointment following the confession of his former political godfather, Chief Chris Uba that the PDP did not win the gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

Those expected at the NWC meeting are President Obasanjo, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, members of Board of Trustees and governors elected on the platform of the party.