Date Published: 01/08/11

Enugu Crisis: Aviation Minister, Njeze, collapses, Gov. Chime pulls out of race, may leave PDP

Enugu Gov. Chime

The crisis that is threatning the political fibre of Enugu State, boiled over last night as Governor Sylvian Chime threatened to pull out of the Governorship race and dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Pointblanknews.com sources said Chime is already having preliminary talks with the leaderships of APGA and ACN in the state.

For some time now National Chairman, Okwesileze Nwodo and Governor Chime had been fighting dirty over the soul of the party machinery in Enugu. This deadlock is responsible for the inability of the PDP to conduct any form of primaries in Enugu.

Chime is frustrated because Nwodo wants to be in total control of the state machinery of the PDP.

Pointblanknews.com sources hinted that Chime stormed out of a last ditch caucus meeting in Abuja on friday, when all attempts by his flank and that of Nwodo failed to reach a consensus.

According to our source, intially both men had agreed to split control of the party machinery down the middle, but few weeks ago Nwodo insisted on having 70 per cent of the PDP in Enugu. This irked the Chime's camp who viewed Nwodo's insistence as selfish and ungrateful, since Chime's bloc was one of the powers that made him chairman.

It was also learnt that Aviation Minister, Fidelia Njeze, received the decision of Chime to pull out of the race, with total disbelief. According to our source, after Chime announced his decision, Njeze who is a top member of Chime's flank went into shock, and was rushed to the hospital.

Pointblanknews.com sources said even though she is not obliged to leave with Chime, his decision could adversely affect her political career. Njeze's worry is, if her ally, Chime, leaves the PDP, that will affect her influence in the PDP, and there is no guarantee that she could find a space in APGA or ACN

Said one source " The crisis has paralyzed the PDP in Enugu. There had been no primaries of any kind. All is because of the interests of Nwodo and Governor Chime. Initially both of them agreed on a 50-50 sharing formula but all of a sudden the chairman (Nwodo) started talking about 70-30. Njeze who is a loyalist of Chime is still in shock because if Chime leaves , even if she doesnt leave with him, it withles down her influence in the PDP...and if she moves with him to ACN or APGA, it would be difficult to find a footing"