Former PDP National Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, dies in Canada, aged 73

Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is dead.

Born on May 24, 1949, Ogbulafor died peacefully on Thursday night, according to family sources.

‘‘Dede Ukwu, Hon. Vin. Ogbulafor passed on last night. He died in Canada,’’ Prime Business Africa (PBA) quoted a relative to have said in a message on Friday night.

PBA reports that Ogbulafor was known for his frequent controversial statements during his time as PDP scribe.

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THE CONCLAVE, citing Wikipedia report, reports that Ogbulafor was first PDP’s National Secretary before he became National Chairman at a later intersection.

He resigned his appointment as the chair after he was charged with an alleged financial recklessness while serving as a minister.

He was a Prince of Olokoro, Umuahia South, the local government of Abia State.

But it was in the saddle as National Chairman that he said his ruling PDP at the time would be in power for 60 years.

However, the boast never came to pass. This was consequent upon the party’s loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

Ogbulafor became PDP national chairman on March 8, 2008 and started his tenure on a controversial note with his comments in which he sounded magisterial that he did not care if Nigeria became a one-party state.

At an interactive session with media executives at the Banquet Hall of the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja, the former PDP chairman said: “I don’t intend to speak longer than this. I have done justice to addressing you on issues and party politics of our great party and I expect that all Nigerians in no distant time would all return to PDP. I don’t care if Nigeria becomes a one-party state. If we succeed in bringing all the states of the federation under one umbrella, then it means we are doing a good job.’’

PBA quoted sources close to the family to have confirmed to it on Friday night the death of the former member of PDP Board of Trustees (BOT).

PBA cited some of his quotable quotes in the report announcing his passing. See below:

“Therefore, anything that I can do, it’s better I do it now because there may not be another opportunity. I have said that with the president we have, he needs our support and we have pledged 101 per cent support for him. We want to make this party a place that every Nigerian will like to belong.”

“When I was National Secretary, we inherited 21 states from Bernabas Gemade. We moved it up to 28 and increased the number in the National assembly. That was then when I was National Secretary. Now, as the National Chairman, the entire Nigeria must be in the PDP.”