A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, has passed on.
He reportedly died peacefully on Thursday night in Canada at 73.
A former National Secretary, he became the National Chairman of the PDP after Umaru Yar’ Adua won the 2007 Presidential election.
An indigene of Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, his stewardship courted controversy with statements credited to him, considered uncomplimentary.
He was quoted as saying that he didn’t give a damn if Nigeria became a one-party state even as he boasted that the PDP would govern Nigeria for at least 60 years. That dream was, however, aborted when the party lost power in 2015 to the All Progressives Congress.
A top official of the Abia State Government who spoke to The Punch on Saturday morning, on the condition of anonymity confirmed the death when asked. “Yes, he’s dead. He died in Canada,” he said.
Also, Channels Television reported that the third Deputy Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Godfrey Oneuka, confirmed the death of the politician.
He was originally a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) when democracy was restored in the country before he crossed to then ruling PDP.
He served President Olusegun Obasanjo first as minister for economic matters and special projects before he was appointed the national secretary of the PDP.
His tenure was uneventful because of Yar’Adua’s long illness that eventually took his life in May.
He was forced to resign after he allegedly fell out with the ‘cabal’ in the Presidency and was succeeded by a former governor of Enugu State, Okwesilieze Nwodo.
Only in September, Ogbulafor was named among the former national chairmen of the PDP listed as members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the party.
The council has the mandate to run the campaign of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for the 2023 election.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the deceased’s family.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Saturday in Abuja, Mr Buhari commiserated with leaders and members of the PDP, the Olokoro Royal family in Umuahia, government and people of Abia State over the loss of the former party chieftain.
According to the president, the former national chairman will be remembered for his role in the nation’s democratic growth.
He commended the zeal of the late prince of Olokoro in sustaining the unity and progress of the country
Also, a former President of the Senate, David Mark, described the demise of Ogbulafor as a huge loss to the party and the nation at large.
This is contained in a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, on Saturday in Minna.
Mark noted that the deceased was a fine gentleman who was passionate and committed to the growth and sustenance of the nation’s nascent democracy.
“As a minister of the Federal Republic, Ogbulafor demonstrated unwavering commitment to the ideals of nationhood. Likewise as national secretary, national chairman and a prominent member of the PDP board of trustees, he demonstrated uncommon loyalty to the party and the Nigerian state,” he stated .
Mark lamented his demise at this time when his wealth of experience in party administration would have been needed to resolve the myriads of crises facing the party.
He added that he was one of the best and fertile minds in Nigerian political environment “because he was fair and firm in the discharge of his duties”.
Mark noted that he would be remembered for his uncommon dedication to duty , humour, honesty and loyalty to his fatherland.
He urged PDP faithful, the government and people of Abia State to take solace in the fact that Ogbulafor left a good legacy worthy of emulation for all.
