Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) top brass are already laying out the red carpet to welcome its prodigal son, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, upon report of his planned return to the fold after dining out with two other parties for four years.

Orji left the PDP for the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in  2006, but quit it for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on June 28, 2010.

His volte-face continues the ‘take your pick’ by politicians in the run up to the 2011 ballot.

Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State was elected on the PPA platform in 2007 like Orji. He is now in the PDP.

Senator Uche Chukwumerije last week declared for the APGA, having days before jumped off the PPA ship, which finally sank when its founder, former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, himself jettisoned it and scurried back to the PDP on July 13. 

Sources in the PDP confided in Daily Independent on Thursday that its National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and Deputy Chairman (South East), Olisa Metu; are spearheading the move to bring back Orji to the party.

Speaking with Daily Independent on phone last night, the Governor confirmed that the party is wooing him, but insisted that he has not taken any decision. He also said the party bigwigs wrote him requesting for a meeting tomorrow (today).

"The entire PDP leadership in Abia state including Ike Nwachukwu, Ojo Maduekwe, Adolphus Wabara, Mao Ohuabunwa, Vincent Ogbulafor, together with the PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and the PDP Governors from the South East are coming to see me. I did not invite them. They decided to come and I cannot tell them not to come. 

"I will hear what they want to say and whatever decision I will take will be after consultations with my people. I cannot take any decision without them. That is the situation. So, it is not true that I have defected to the PDP." 

But reliable sources said Orji is depending on his cozy relationship with the Villa to perfect his final move, in the plot by Aso Rock to decimate the opposition in the South East before the 2011 ballot.

This is to compensate for the “expected opposition from other voting blocks, like the North,” it was learnt.

However, some  PPA supporters have started mobilising to block Orji, with  anonymous  text messages. 

A source said the supporters are “promising a battle royale. It is clear that Orji believes he can easily be put in office with federal might. 

“Is it not a pity the PDP will from the top, in collaboration with some of these people, bring in somebody whose party scored failure in performance?

“The commentary all over the world is that Abia is a failed state, with the preponderance of kidnapping, insecurity; yet the party is wooing the man who presides over such a failure. That is our lot in the state with the so-called elders. 

“Each time the party seems to be getting its act together, the interest of a few rears out to scuttle the effort. We are going to resist it now.”

In reaction, Metu has started moving from one stakeholder’s house to the order, cajoling, and convincing them to back up the plan. 

An aide to Orji, who did not want his name in print, told Daily Independent in a telephone interview from Umuahia that his return to the PDP is in the interest of Abia people and Ndigbo.

His words: “The truth is that Orji has become the beautiful bride of Abia politics. Everybody and every political party, not only the PDP, is wooing him and whatever decision he takes will be in the people’s interest.”

But Abia PDP Chairman, Ndidi Okereke, said Orji has already made up his mind.

“We are happy with the development. Tomorrow (today), (Nwodo), members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and some Governors will come to Abia to welcome Orji back to the family. We will roll out the red carpet for him,” Okereke pledged.

“When we (the PDP) criticised him in the past, it was not because he has failed but because he was on the wrong side. Now, he has come back, we are welcoming him with open arms, because he is a good man.”

However, APGA National Chairman, Victor Umeh, said he is not aware of Orji’s plan.

Umeh recalled that “when he wanted to join us (the APGA), he told us and we welcomed him. It is only proper that if he is leaving he should also tell us.

“Until he doe so, everything will be rumour, and I don’t lay much stock in rumour.’
Umeh insisted that there is no reason why Orji should leave the APGA, “Assuming the story is true. Nothing has happened since he joined us to justify any such move. 

“But, as I said, he has not told us, and I am not going to act on rumour. We are waiting.”

Despite Umeh’s claim of ignorance, two members of the PDP NWC confirmed the story, though anonymously.

“Yes, it is true we are approaching (Orji) to return to the PDP.  He was a founding member of the party, one of those who left the party due to the high handedness of our past leaders,” they said.  

“He is not alone.  Can’t you see that (Ohakim) who left the party in similar circumstances and who wore the same shoe like Orji has since returned?

“It is true he had declared membership of the APGA but he is one of us and can’t afford to be the only one in Siberia when others have since returned.

“How do you expect us to let him be the only Governor that was with us and is not coming back?” 

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, recounted that he heard the report from a reliable source in the PDP, who is close to Orji.

Said Okechukwu: “It is unfortunate.  Yes, I got the information and I can be quoted on this that Orji is being coerced to come back to the PDP.  The meeting to force him to come back took place the day the South East leaders met with President Goodluck Jonathan last week.

“This is not good for our democracy if he returns to the PDP.  What it means is that it has given vent to what we have been saying that the PDP wants Nigeria to be a one party state.  

“They are doing everything possible to bring all the big politicians to their party, especially those who are not strong willed.  This is not good for our democracy.  It is not good for Nigeria.”

But PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ahmed Alkali, denied the move but said there is nothing wrong in Orji returning to the party.

He said the PDP leadership will not curtail membership but is expanding to accommodate as many Nigerians as would like to join the party.