Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo could not hide his grief over what he called the brand of politics being played by Ndigbo lately. He described it as politics of back stabbing and treachery. When he addressed the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, he also lamented that party membership which used to be a brotherhood and comradeship thing has been turned to hemlock, which makes party members see themselves as potential enemies.

"During our days in NPP, when my late brother Chief Sam Mbakwe was alive, you see your party member as a brother. If people are after you, all you need to do is to run into your party member's house and you will be safe. Even if he is not there, you are sure of being served a meal or a drink while waiting for him or her. But our brothers in Igbo land have learnt a new thing that is bad in politics. A new style of stabbing someone that helped you on the back. This is bad. Our values and morals have been forgotten and the spirit of unity have been desecrated. Someone some time ago said that he will retire me in politics and send Jim Nwobodo on exile. Today, between me and that person, who is on exile?"

"The politics of the winner takes all has taken over Igbo land. Now a single individual owns a political party while others go to worship him. Party is not owned by one person but by people. People make a party. Even in the party, there are elders that come in to ensure fairness and justice. They do not lord it over others. Today, no body wants to listen to them. They are seen as old fashioned people. That era has gone and we have come to bring back the old days of comradeship and oneness in the South-East," he proffered

Nwobodo indeed spoke like a father and an experienced field general in politics. Being the governor of the old Anambra State, which is now Enugu, Anambra and (partly) Ebonyi states, he is in a better position to say all that he said. He also has experienced that brand of politics both at the national and state levels.

President Umaru Yar'Adua may have understood the fact that all is not well with his party, and that it is part of the assets and liabilities he inherited from his predecessor. He may have also realised that with the state of affairs in PDP, the monster would certainly fight him head-long, hence he went for reconciliation. Interestingly too, the emergence of Sir Vincent Ogbulafor as national chairman may have also given him the much needed tonic to reinvigorate the party that is badly bruised by crisis.

It was gathered that using the gladiators of factional politics would certainly boomerang the efforts of rediscovering PDP, hence he went for Nwobodo, a generally accepted personality who has been a victim of the politics of intrigue and pettiness. Members of his committee were a blend of politicians of the average class and new entrants into the game. Most of them had at one time or the order suffered the reproach of the party's brand of internal democracy, but refused to decamp. Indeed Ogbulafor's team of South-East Reconciliation Committee gives a clue as to the brand of dramatis personae that would run the affairs of the party in future. Also most factional leaders of PDP in the South-East states were non-starters when Nwobodo held sway and cannot afford to toy with the opportunity of sharing with a man with his wealth of political experience. But has these permutations of the Ogbulafor and Yar'Adua actually paid off? Observers ask. When the committee visited the five South-East states, the picture was more of a tragicomedy, with several questions begging for answers.

The committee had its hands full when they came calling. They battled between the havoc already caused by the former Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, who had been at war with the party before registering his own party, the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA). As a result of the PPA's emergence in Government House Umuahia, most party faithfuls of PDP now hang around the corridors of the Government House. Also the outcome of the PDP governorship primaries have not helped matters. Mr. Ihieanacho Orji leading the Ngwa faction of the party sees the emergence of Ugochukwu Onyema's candidacy as a charade and had remained on war path. It was also alleged that former National Secretary of PDP, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, had his reservations over the candidacy of Onyema while the Abia State member of PDP Board of Trustees, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has his own feelings and disappointments over some issues about the internal democracy of the party in Abia State. At the end of the committee's meeting, they merely showed their findings, but no clear cut way forward. Such findings include:

"That the PDP in Abia is battle-weary and its primary concern was how to reclaim its mandate to govern Abia State;

That the party congress election in Abia was peaceful and fair in most parts,s and that the minor differences are being managed through internal dialogue and grievance process, a process the state party leadership believes will be intensified after the installation of the PDP government. That all PDP members in the state are being urged to engage in this healing process in order to build a one strong and united PDP in Abia State;

That the peaceful conduct of the congress was as a result of zero-tolerance for imposition of candidates and the policy of Abia State PDP to restrict the influence of leaders to their wards;

The Abia State PDP expressed its regret that the past leadership of the party at both the national and zonal levels has not been very helpful in supporting the state platform in reclaiming its mandate; that the true test of the cohesion and strength of a political party lies in the stand it takes and the nature of support it gives when one of its constituents has an unfinished struggle; and further noted that their problem is not the noise of the opposition but the silence of the party.

The South-East Action Committee expressed solidarity on this view and plans to address this concern more broadly as this is also at the heart of its terms of reference;

That the suspicion that the South-East Action Committee would woo or have a rapprochement with the PPA Government of Abia was hurtful and offensive to the Abia PDP; the Action Committee stating categorically that such insinuations were incorrect, uninformed and uncomplimentary to the Action Committee and should be treated as mere rumour and propaganda;

That the South-East Action Committee regretted the communication gap and agreed to urgently and more formally address its letter with its terms of reference to the state PDP leadership who would subsequently deliberate and submit its views to the Action committee with respect to its very important Seven-point Terms of Reference; and

That the PDP in Abia State is strong and that the party expresses its support to the PDP national leadership, the South-East zonal leadership, and appreciates and supports the work of the Action Committee as enunciated in the Seven-point Terms of Reference and would be in a better position to re-engage the Action Committee after the successful reclaiming of its mandate to govern Abia State.

The party's tale of woes in Anambra is an interesting chronicle of confusion: with seven factions and four chairmen holding their own. There is Dr. Andy Uba faction, Chris Uba faction, Tony Nwoye faction and Ivy Obi-Okoye faction. The aggrieved aspirants of the State Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries also had their grouse against the party. Deepening the face-off is the last party congress which indeed climaxed the logjam.

Even the exit of Dr. Chris Ngige also had a lot to do with the party. According to the petition of Ivy Obi-Okoye which actually captured the litanies of woes in Anambra PDP, the obedience to rule of law appeared to have been the bane of the party.

"In July 2002, congresses were held in Anambra State - from the ward, local government to the state congress, held on July 12, 2002 - monitored and supervised by a team of National Vice Chairman South-West, Chief Bode George.

Following the resignation from the party of the elected State Chairman, Prince Don Onochie; the Deputy Chairman, Barrister Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, was hence directed by the National Working Committee of the PDP, to take over the leadership of the party as the Acting State Chairman in accordance with Article 15A (2) and 15B (1) of the PDP Constitution; a position he held from February 203 up to August 30, 2004.

Sometime in June 2004, following a directive of the National Working Committee of the PDP, a meeting of the State Executive Committee of the PDP Anambra State Chapter, was hence convened by the Acting State Chapter on July 1, 2004, for the purpose of Electing the substantive state chairman of the PDP Anambra State Chapter in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 (4) of the PDP Constitution.

Consequent upon this, a civil action was instituted at the High Court of Anambra State against the Peoples Democratic Party and five others, including the National Chairman and National Secretary, by members of the State Executive Committee of the PDP in Anambra State, whereupon the High Court on June 30,2004 granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the Peoples Democratic Party from 'convening or holding a meeting of the Anambra State Executive Committee of the PDP (fixed as above mentioned) for Thursday July 1, 2004, or at any other future date, and dates, at CANA House or at any other venue for the purpose of electing a substantive State Chairman of the PDP Anambra State Chapter.'

The said court order of 30/6/2004, was duly served on the PDP, hence in a letter dated 30/6/2004, the then National Secretary of the PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor directed a cancellation and postponement of the scheduled exco meeting (the subject matter of the court case).

In a dramatic twist and in total disobedience to the court order mentioned above, the National Working Committee of the PDP on August 30, 2004 convened a meeting of the State Executive Committee of the PDP Anambra State Chapter, at Nicon-Hilton, Abuja where one Mr. Uchenna Emodi was purported to have been elected as the substantive State Chairman of the PDP Anambra State Chapter.

It was, however, established from the records of the "Nicon-Hilton meeting" that but for five state officers, the rest of the people who attended the so-called state exco meeting at the Nicon-Hilton Hotel, Abuja were not elected state officers of the PDP Anambra State Chapter.

However, on September 6, 2004, the same high court, consequent upon an application by the plaintiffs to the said suit (HID/106/2004), above mentioned, made an order, nullifying the purported state exco meeting held at Nicon-Hilton Hotel Abuja, nullified the election of Uchenna Emodi as the substantive state chairman of the PDP and ordered all parties to the suit to revert to status quo, as it existed prior to August 23, 2004.

It is pertinent that up till this date, none of the court orders mentioned above has been set aside, either by the court itself nor by any other court of law. The court orders are still subsisting and binding on the Peoples Democratic Party, its officers and members.

It is, therefore, clear and without question that the purported state exco meeting held at the Nicon-Hilton Hotel, Abuja, where Mr. Emodi was purportedly elected as state chairman, was done in outright disobedience and contempt of the order granted by the High Court of Anambra State in Suit No. HID/106/2004 of June 30, 2004.

It is also clear and without question that the purported election of Emodi as state chairman was nullified and declared illegal by the same court on September 6,2004.

Notwithstanding the above mentioned court orders, the National Executive of the PDP, completely ignored the said court orders and continued to uphold Emodi as the State Chairman of the PDP, Anambra State Chapter.

However, in September 2005, prior to State Congresses held nationwide, by the PDP, the High Court of Anambra State on September 30, 2005, yet made another order directing all parties to the suit to maintain the status quo ante bellum litem. The PDP, again ignored the order of the court and went ahead to conduct congress in Anambra State, hence re-elected Emodi as the State Chairman of the Party.

In yet another dramatic twist, the National Executive Committee of the PDP nullified the State Congress held in Anambra State in October 2005, dissolved the State Executive Committee and appointed a caretaker committee headed by Tony Nwoye as acting chairman and Dr. Tony Akachukwu as acting secretary. In the meantime, several protests letters and representations were made to the National Executive Committee of the PDP concerning the existing court orders earlier mentioned which were still subsisting and had not been vacated or set aside. These, notwithstanding, the National Executive Committee of the PDP chose to disobey the court orders, made no attempt to discharge or vacate the said orders.

"Even before the last state congress was held in Anambra State on February 28, 2008, our client through his solicitors caused a letter to be written to the National Chairman of the PDP warning the party of the consequences of holding the state congress in utter disregard to the pending court case. The party once again ignored the pending court action and went ahead to hold the state congress on the said 28/2/2008, wherein new officers of the party were purported to have been elected.

"In the circumstance sir, we pray you to use your good office to recommend to the National Executive Committee of PDP to obey the subsisting court orders and return all parties to the status quo, as it existed on August 23, 2004 as directed by the high court.

In its usual manner similar to what happened in Abia State, the committee made observations only:

"The Action Committee addressed the audience emphasising the need for party unity, party discipline, party comradeship, and friendship. Intra-party dialogue, trust and betrayal among party members and the need for purposeful and mindful leadership. It explained the mission of the action committee which among other things includes reconciling party members and the various contending forces, and alliances in order to re-brand PDP in the state and build one united PDP in Anambra State. Several groups were identified for the purposes of finding out the true state of affairs of the party in the state and were invited for a closer semi-public hearing at the Queen's Suites Hotel.

The PDP governorship candidate, Andy Uba and his group; the former chairman, Chief Tony Nwoye and his group; the party's elders; the aggrieved PDP primary election candidates group; South-East Concerned Citizens Forum and PDP Concerned Citizens. The hearing was open, informative and exhaustive, revealing the depth of concern and emotion concerning the party, as the party of first choice in Anambra State. It further revealed that Anambra State is a PDP state with huge followership, that members are primarily concerned with equity, fairness and justice in the management of party affairs. That power should not be exercised outside the ambit of the party, that party indiscipline and anti-party activities should not be tolerated. That the party should improve its gender friendliness in line with the party guidelines; that internal democratic processes should at all times guide party elections and decisions.

That party financing must be democratised to avoid incidences of personification of the party by individuals or groups, that the loss of Government House should not signify the loss of the party cohesion, vibrancy and harmony among its leaders, that trust must be rebuilt in order to have one united PDP in Anambra State, and that it is important to find a platform that can accommodate all of PDP in readiness for the challenges ahead.

Not much is happening in terms of crisis in the state. It was expected that the likes of Frank Ogbuewu who lost out at the governorship primaries would start an upstage, but he played the gentleman in him and went home. Also the Adolphus Awam faction couldn't make the difference hence the Nwobodo-led committee merely went for a recreation in Abakaliki.

It was indeed interesting to see Nwobodo go home to resolve the crisis in his state. He had been a negative beneficiary of the crisis in those apprehensive days of Chimaroke Nnamani who he single-handedly installed. Nature in its retributive style paid off on Nnamani when his own boy, Governor Sullivan Chime, took the fight to his territory. Nwobodo must be enjoying his Champaigne now and laughing at the turn of events lately. The committee did not have much work to do in view of the fact that most factions that emerged during Nnamani era appears to have closed ranks with Governor Chime and a great number of Enugu State people see Chime as complete departure from the past irrespective of what the tribunal had said about his election. It is widely believed that should there be a fresh election, Chime would likely emerge a winner the second time.

Though Imo State has a PPA governor with a PDP assembly, the relationship between the two are like twins. They both seem to understand each other's chemistry compared to the show of shame in Anambra. However, the danger still looms. Chief Ifeanyi Ararume is still not happy with the party over his travails at the governorship primaries. The Achike Udenwa faction of the party still believes that the failure of PDP to retain the state was largely caused by Ararume. The committee had not much to do in the state since the gladiators are ready for peace. But the fears are that the PPA government has the capability of sustaining its hold in the state. Imo State is not given to the brand of politics being played by some other states. The duo has the courage of closing ranks remaining loyal to who ever emerges as governor irrespective of the party. The showdown has always taken place during party primaries and main elections and once they are over, calm returns. Indeed, Nwobodo and his group had nothing to battle with as the meeting became a celebration of peace.

Observers believe that the next general election would produce more suprises in the South-East. This is, however, dependent on what the resolutions of the Nwobodo committee would look like. Should caretaker committees be set up in the states, the outcome of the fresh congresses would certainly determine the fate of the party. Kalu's PPA already has two states and is making a very strong in-road in Anambra State. Fears are that should Kalu pick a governorship candidate from Anambra North zone, that would be a masterstroke to dislodge both the embattled PDP and Chris Ngige's Action Congress (AC). The ruling party in Anambra, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) appears not to be in contention since the leader, Governor Peter Obi, is not a politician and lacks the pedigree of sweeping other party's out of the contention.

Ogbulafor, no doubt, must be worried how he, a national chairman of the ruling PDP, can only boast of two states as PDP. His desperation, pundits say, is to return the zone back to PDP; and the foot soldiers that he needs to do that, are all waiting in the wings in event of a fair climate. But the unlikely return of Kalu and Ngige may also worsen the problem, as those already in the party may chose to annex a less stronger party to turn the table around.

Similarly the old gladiators such as Alex Ekwueme, Apugo, Joseph Okonkwo among others need to be taken along, and the former vice-president is expected to be firm and resolute at all points rather than putting up theories that end up in the party's book shelves.