On Friday December 19, 2008, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor (May 24, 1949- October 6, 2022) from Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State declared that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would rule Nigeria for the next 60 years. At the time he made the declaration, he was the fifth National Chairman of the party. Before him, the past Chairmen of the party were Chief Solomon Lar (1998-1999), Chief Barnabas Gemade (1999-2001), Chief Audu Ogbeh (2001-2005) and Colonel Ahmadu Ali (2005-2008).

Before his appointment as the Chairman of PDP, Chief Ogbulafor was the Minister of State on Economic Matters in the Presidency. The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was then under him. His responsibilities as Minister of State were to formulate and issue economic intelligence guidelines for government projects, ensure monitoring of projects and progress relating to plan implementation and supervise the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC.

In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed other Ministers of State and placed them under The Presidency. They include Mr. Abayomi Edu (79) and Dr. Abimbola Ogunkelu, a consultant Physician and Cardiologist, from Ibowon, Epe in Lagos State, who is also a member of the Amala Group, a group of eminent journalists which meets monthly at Bunmi Sofola’s place in Surulere, Lagos.  

The schedules of these Ministers of State at that time were prepared by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette (1939- September 25, 2019), assisted by the then Director of Special Duties in the office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Dr. Goke Adegoroye (74) and approved by the President Obasanjo. 

There were Minister of State Economic Matters, Minister of State Special Project, Minister of State for Inter-Governmental Affairs, Minister of State, Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Minister of State, Civil Service matters and also Minister of State, Special Duties. Mr. Abayomi Edu was Minister of State, Special Duties. He is the son of the billionaire politician from Epe, Alhaji Shafi Lawal Edu (January 7, 1911 –  January 8, 2002) who was elected into the Western State House of Assembly in 1951. Mr. Abayomi Edu who now lives in America is expected home to celebrate his 80th birthday.

Mr. Abayomi Edu’s schedule and responsibilities at that time were to coordinate for the President: award of titles; National Honours and Decorations, (ii) Liaise, on behalf of the President, with the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, (iii) carry out any special duties assigned by the President. 

Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Kida was the Minister of State, Inter-Governmental Affairs in The Presidency. His schedule and responsibilities were to (i) formulate and implement policies and programmes geared towards enhancement of inter-governmental relations; (ii) Liaison between the Federal, State and Local Governments; (iii) Conduct desirable studies and collect intelligence information on Federal/State/Local Government relations and process to the Vice President; (iv) initiate follow-up actions to ensure that State and Local governments fulfil their respective statutory obligations; (v) Advise the Vice President on Boundary Commission Matters. 

Chief Abimbola Ogunkelu was Minister of State in The Presidency for Cooperation and Integration in Africa. His schedule and responsibilities were to (i) formulate policies and programmes on regional cooperation and integration in Africa; (ii) Strengthening of Intra-African economic cooperation; (iii) Foster relations with and coordinate ECOWAS matters; (iv) Coordination of matters relating to the Economic and Social Commission of the OAU; (v) Coordination and strengthening of matters relating to Joint Economic Commissions in Africa e.g. the African Common Market, the Economic Commission for Africa, ECA. 

The emergence of Prince Vincent Ogbulafor as the National Chairman of PDP was dramatic. He was brought to the PDP headquarters in 2001 after serving as a Minister of State.

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (August 16, 1951-  May 5, 2010) was eventually declared the winner of the 2007 general elections, held on April 21, and was sworn in on May 29, 2007, amid widespread allegations of electoral fraud. In the Nigerian National Assembly election, the party won 260 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and 85 out of 109 seats in the Senate.

 At the PDP’s 2008 National Convention, the party chose Prince Vincent Ogbulafor as its National Chairman on March 8, 2008 held in Abuja. Chief Ogbulafor, who was the PDP’s National Secretary from 2001 to 2005, was the party’s consensus choice for the position of National Chairman, selected as an alternative to the rival candidate’s former Governor Sam Egwu and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. All 26 candidates, including Dr Sam Egwu (70) from Ezzamgbo and Senator Pius Anyim (63) from Ishiagu, both in Ebonyi State, withdrew in favour of Ogbulafor. Meanwhile, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje was elected as National Secretary. 

When Prince Ogbulafor made that declaration in 2008 people believed that his boast could come true. He was on a solid ground at that time. 

Let’s look at the situation now. In the Senate, the All Progressive Congress, APC, has 58 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has 37 seats; the Labour Party has seven seats; the New Nigeria People’s Party has two seats; the Social Democratic Party, two seats; the All Progressive Grand Alliance, one seat; and the Action Democratic Party, one seat. In the House of Representatives, the All Progressive Congress has 175 seats; PDP has 118 seats; Labour Party has 35 seats; New Nigeria People’s Party, 19 seats; All Progressives Grand Alliance, 5 seats; African Democratic Congress, two seats; Social Democartic Party, two seats and Young Progressives Party, one seat. 

To be concluded