Power Play: Why NDDC Chairman, Onochie Was Suspended

Internal power play within the All Progressives Congress (APC) might have led to the suspension of the chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, from the party.
Onochie’s suspension was conveyed in a letter addressed by the executive committee of Ward 4 in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State to the state chairman of the APC in Delta State. The letter, which was signed by the chairman of the APC in Ward 4, Onicha-Olona in Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, accused Onochie of working for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) during the last general elections, which led to APC losing her polling unit and ward in the elections.
The executives also accused her of failing to attend ward and local government meetings or meeting her financial obligations to the party.
Onochie joined the former national chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as prominent politicians that have been suspended by the ward executive committees of their parties within the last one week.
Onochie and the national leadership of the APC were yet to react to her suspension as of press time. But she is said to have been caught in a power show between two major divides in the party, the pro-and anti-Tinubu factions, which failed to reconcile since last year’s presidential primaries.
Besides, Onochie’s inauguration as chairman of the Board of Governors of the NDDC was said have not been supported by some powerful leaders of the party in Delta State, who felt she was not active enough in the affairs of the party in the state to deserve the appointment. Even after her appointment, she was accused of not deploying her clout and resources to support the party during the last general elections, which the party lost in Delta State to a very strong Labour Party presence.
Though just a few months old as chairman of the board of NDDC, there have been reports of a power play going on between the governing board and the management headed by the managing director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku. Both APC and PDP lost grip in Aniocha