ACHO ORABUCHI

Dallas, Texas

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), USA chapter, is embroiled in endemic crisis that appears not yet ready to abate. In this interview with ACHO ORABUCHI, former Chairman of PDP, USA Chapter, DR. IFEANYI CHARLES ANTHONY OKPALOBI, a medical practitioner, speaks on the genesis of the crisis, Okpalobi, Founder and President of Organization of Nigerian Professionals, an award- winning organization (Organization of the Year Award in 1997), a member of NPN USA, and a two-time commissioner in the State of Louisiana in African Task Force and Pan African Commission, has been in America for over 25 years. He has been one of the arrowheads of activities concerning Nigeria in USA. Okpalobi, is also the Chairman of African Chamber of Commerce USA, and a member of Board of Directors of World Trade Center of New Orleans.

Many PDP members were sighted in your recent weeding. Does that suggest that you are a chieftain of the party here in USA?

Yes, I am a member of the PDP-USA Chapter. As a matter of fact, I am the first democratically elected Chairman of PDP-USA. I won with a landslide in an election held on April the 27th, 2002 at Boston Mass. PDP-USA is composed of thirteen branches; many of the PDP-USA members you saw at my wedding are a living testimony of the overwhelming support I enjoyed among the members of the party. Thanks to God. My intention was to make the PDP-USA Chapter a model, an enviable Chapter in United States. Unfortunately, the all-powerful Vincent Ogbulafor, national Secretary of PDP Nigeria, untimely terminated my term of office. My objective was to establish the supremacy of the chapter as other Chapters in Nigeria. I wanted to glue the members together as an entity, moving in one direction, and function as the think tank powerhouse for Nigeria.

You stated that you are the first elected chairman of PDP-USA Chapter. Can you give us an insight into the PDP you led

My leadership was marked by respect for the branches and the chairmen. Integrity, transparency and dedication to duty were my guiding principles. It was the chapter first before anything else. My leadership, as a pioneer chairman of the chapter, came when the chapter had no funds, and Abuja repeatedly, insisted that they couldn’t fund us. We therefore, had to run the chapter out of our individual pocket. Thanks to the benevolent branch chairmen.

They contributed everything they have and within the space of two years, we did the following: Visited the Secretariat in Abuja six times, each visit costs us nothing less than ten thousand dollars each.

We were the dominant chapter in the foreign chapters’ conference held in December 2002. We were dominant in the sense that the USA chapter was the only chapter that paid fully their financial dues for that conference. At the end of the conference, we ran into financial difficulties with the NICON Hilton Hotel. We owed money to the NICON Hotel. It was USA chapter, under my leadership that bailed them out.

We attended and contributed to the party’s convention in Abuja;

In the Nigeria’s national election 2003, PDP-USA chapter played a prominent role in developing (the PDP’S strategies for success) /a PDP-USA perspective. We worked our strategy to success which included —Mass mailing—Weekly Newspaper Advertisement sending members to Nigeria, to take part in the actual campaign—contributed in sponsoring so many Governors to success—contributed and encouraging many Nigerians in USA to run for offices in Nigeria.

We attended the inaugural ceremony of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Printed the first Almanac of Nigerians in USA— (who is who in USA)

Developed a very harmonious relationship among the chapter membership. That smooth cordial relationship was what you saw in New Orleans during my wedding, which you referred to.

We were just embarking on so many ventures like chapter Magazine and alleviating poverty in Nigeria when the life of my administration suddenly terminated. However life still goes on among the individual members of the party, a dynasty has already been created.

Could you please recall the genesis of the crisis in the PDP-USA chapter?

The genesis of the problem of PDP-USA is deep-rooted. It is political and tribal in nature. I have to be candid, as I have no intention to distort facts. My answer will show you that there was a well-orchestrated and sustained plan by some members, all acting in concert with Chief Iyke Nwaneri, coordinator of foreign chapters, to topple my chairmanship and reinstall Mr. Fabian Okeke who I defeated in Boston, April 2002.

My landslide victory over Mr. Fabian Okeke was an unpleasant surprise to the supporters of Mr. Okeke as it upset the elaborate plan that they had in place to ensure the continuation of Okeke’s tenure as chairman. My predecessor Mr. Okeke set up a congress committee, charged with the responsibility to conduct the election and he personally handpicked his lackey as the chairman. His congress committee chairman then went ahead to personally supervise the execution of the plan mentioned above. The plan had many aspects. Time and space will not allow me to delve into the minutiae of all the parts but some of the cardinal parts are worth mentioning.

It was overwhelmingly clear, that the congress chairman responsible for conducting the election, had well orchestrated plan to steer the election in favor of the incumbent chairman Mr. Okeke.
He planted his agents in every part of the election to make sure that his plans were carried out.

Chief Iyke Nwaneri, the foreign chapter coordinator was equally involved in this plot to see that Mr. Okeke was elected chairman. In the Nigerian way, he tried to intimidate members to indicate that Abuja wants Mr. Okeke and not Dr. Okpalobi. He even tried to induce some people to change their opinions in favor of Mr. Okeke.

The election came and was conducted openly and transparently before the eyes of everyone although it was not supposed to be so. But because many members who have learned the process of democracy in America objected to every plan made to rig the election, the election was conducted and Dr. I.C.A. Okpalobi won. The scoreboard was as follows: Out of 13 total branches, Dr. Okpalobi won 8, Mr. Fabian Okeke won 3, and Chief Nwade won 2.

So the genesis of our problem is that Dr. Okpalobi won an election he was not supposed to win. My opponents then ganged up and vowed to bring my administration down. This was the genesis of the problems of PDP-USA chapter.

Apart from election, can it be attributable to any other remote reason(s)

Yes indeed, Abuja failed to respect the authority of the chapter majority. Chief Vincent Ogbulafor (PDP’s national secretary) found it difficult to accept the authority of the chapter. It should be prudent to believe that where the majority of the chapter goes should be where the power lies. Until Abuja realises that in a democratic country like USA, to establish a political party in this country, the rule of democracy must prevail anything else will result in failure.

Chief Ogbulafor decided to dissolve an elected executive. He further violated the principles of democracy by not allowing these executives to test their popularity at the poll. Of course he operated the jungle law where the might is right. Even a USA court of law in New Jersey ruled that it is unconstitutional to deny members the right to vote and to be voted for. This is why that election, after being challenged in US court and won, is being challenged in Nigeria court of law. For the same reason, the members of the newly elected executives are in shambles, again democracy is not respected. Simply, follow the opinion of majority and you will never go wrong, anything else will be anarchy.