Former Minister of Labour and Employment Sen Chris Ngige today narrated how former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party PDP Late Chief Audu Ogbe saved Anambra state from anarchy while he was sitting governor of the state .
Ngige in his narrative described late Audu Ogbe as a true democrat whose doggedness in the defense of the ideals of Nigeria’s democratic principles cost him his position as National Chairman,which he volunterily resigned.
The former governor in a tribute to his friend and political ally further recalled how Ogbe advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo against the withdrawal of his police security aid as a sitting governor and Ogbe’s insistence that the miscreants that unleashed mayhem on Anambra must be brought to book which the then President turn blind eyes to .
“In 2003 I benefited from this clean process and was through the Lords doing Governor of my state Anambra.
“He was therefore the National Chairman of the PDP.when some miscreants and roguish elements in the PDP from my State in collaboration with the powers that be in Abuja and using the Nigeria Police decided to kidnap me and fake my resignation from office”
Continuing Ngige noted that: “Audu and the then Vice President refused to join my traducers on that fateful July 10 2003.Instead I was restored to my office on the instructions of the then VP Atiku Abubakar to the IGP Tafa Balogun.Audu Ogbe and Atiku stood behind me like the rock of Gibraltar ,shielding me from unwanted harassment especially within the party and in the Presidency”
“This precipitated his famous letter to the then President Gen OO Obasanjo where he alerted and advised the President on the dangers and implications of his withdrawal of the full Security from me… a sitting Governor, whom the Constitution has designated as the Chief Security Officer of the state”
“He advised the President to call the traducers to order as they’re known and have committed Arson and destruction of Government property especially the the Governor office and Lodge which they had bombed with an intent to kill me”
“Obasanjo had replied the letter and declared the Chairman as persona non grata and called for Ogbe’s resignation .Audu did not mind tendering his resignation , he did so immediately, asserting that the PDP under his watch could not afford to attend the funeral of one of her Governors due to the party keeping quiet so that evil can triumph over good”
“He lost his seat and the replacement Col Sen Ahmad Ali commenced the hatchet job process of my suspension and later expulsion from the PDP within three months!!”
In what appears to be great lamentations by Ngige and display of grief over the lost of his long time friend noted that ;
“His death is therefore a personal loss to me,having enjoyed an intimate contact and friendship with him from our ALEPCO days in 1998.Just recently in April 2025,We attended in his Asokoro home the one year memorial service and ceremony for her late daughter and we discussed death and all its pranks,not knowing it was also laying an ambush for Audu to snatch him on 9th August “
“So with the death of Ogbe,it’s the end of an era because the political class and the nation have lost a rare gem…a man of great integrity,with great vision and mission but whom the negative forces of retardation did not allow to release all his potential energy as a farmer and intellectual for the benefit of her country. Nigeria”
“The void created by his exit will always be felt,for men of his quality are scarce in Nigeria. My condolence goes to the family and the Government and people of Benue State” he stated .
