‘PDP Is A Party Of Killers’ – Former Chairman Reveals

Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh, one of the founders of
the newly registered All Progressive Congress
(APC) in an exclusive interview with a national
newspaper revealed that the People’s Democratic
Party (PDP), which he once chaired is a party of
killers amongst other things.
See excerpts of the interview:
Nigeria will be 100 years by January 2014 having
been amalgamated in 1914. And it’s been 53 years
of the country’s post-independence existence. How
has the country fared?
We started off well. It was a land of hope, a land of
opportunity, a land of sunlight and faith, land of very
proud people.  Nigerians are hardworking and very
committed. And it went on. It had its own challenges
until the unfortunate tragedy of 1966. And then all
that hope; true federalism which we had then, all that
regional competition for excellence simply came to a
halt under the unitary system of government which
the military brought along. And then the culture of
violence came into this country.
Are you saying that 15 years down the line,
democracy hasn’t set the pace to correct the
anomalies apparently perpetrated by the
military?
A strong and violent culture does not dissipate very
quickly. It gets engrained in the blood system of
people. The choice of candidatures by the opposition
is always predetermined by strong men and
individuals who believe that they own the estate. If
you argue with them, you pay very severely. And the
most difficult person to set free is a happy slave. So,
most Nigerians would rather not risk challenging
arrogant authority.
But talking about the military, many Nigerians
will be quick to point out the legacies of the
military than the civilian rule, why is it so?
In terms of infrastructure, roads and bridges, yes,
they built a lot; I mean Gowon did a whole lot.
Obasanjo, Murtala did quite a bit but you realized
that the destruction of Civil Service, unfortunately
happened under the Murtala regime; those arbitrary
retirements. Politicians are called corrupt. Check the
Civil Service. Only God knows what goes on there. So,
in terms of physical achievements, yes. Democracies
are not particularly famous for physical
infrastructures.
If you reason this way, one gets the impression
that when Olusegun Obasanjo, a full blooded
soldier came as civilian president, you would have
rejected being the National Chairman of the
ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
In 1999, I was a campaign Director for Dr. Alex
Ekwueme. I fell victim to an assassination attempt in
Benue, December 7, 1998 when a former military man
sent a gang of nine to have me murdered in my
house. There was no investigation till tomorrow. It
was not an issue. So, today, later then, of course, I
became Chairman, and I said, fine, this is the choice
that Nigeria had made, then let’s make it work. But
the hood does not make the monk.
On why he left the the People’s Democratic Party?
Yes, I was the National Chairman. Why did I go? We
were among the founders of this party and our dream
was to build a party that will really lead Nigeria
forward. That was our dream from all over the
country. I don’t know I would be the Chairman. But
then I was attacked, so on and so forth. I escaped
three assassination attempts. From this house where
you are, I was nearly kidnapped on August 11, 2005
by five men, three in police uniform, two in plain
clothes in two unmarked cars. I later found they were
sent by a certain leader of the party. I was to be
picked, shot and dumped in the bush because some
of the policemen confirmed it to a friend of mine.
Would you remain in the party like that? Earlier,
armed men had pursued me to my house in Markudi,
February 2005; I had just left the party. You know,
people ask me this question. So, why do I have to stay
in the party where death is the only instrument of
resolution of disputes or disagreement? I don’t have
to be in politics. I got in earlier.
I played my part, apologized to those who are not
happy with me; thanked those who are happy. But I
don’t have to be in it. I have a few things I do to feed
myself. If this is the place, then I quit.