The former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, was the one who initially persuaded Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State to enter the political arena.
The governor said Ogbulafor was extremely dear to him when he made the disclosure at the Holy Cross Catholic Church Olokoro, Umuahia, where a requiem mass was held for the late PDP stalwart.
When I was still working in the banking industry in 2009, Chief Ogbulafor visited me at home and advised me that it was time for me to enter politics. But I informed him that my goal is to become the managing director first.
” The next year, he sent the Chairman of the PDP in the state to come and register me into the party whether or not I liked it. Today, the rest is history. So, my political history cannot be complete without mentioning Price Ogbulafor.”
Gov. Otti who began his political journey in the PDP around 2014 before finally settling in the Labour Party after stop overs in both the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA; and the All Progressive Congress, APC, described Ogbulafor as a political iroko who had made great marks in life.
” It’s not how long but how well. Prince Ogbulafor left behind legacies. He has fought the good fight; and now he’s in a good place “.
The Abia Governor urged members of the deceased family to be comforted and emulate his good legacies.
Earlier in a homily, the Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Diocese, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, described death as an inevitable end, and urged people to live in readiness for death which comes most times unannounced.
LATEST: Former PDP National Chairman Dies
He described Prince Ogbulafor as a great asset to humanity, lamenting that his death has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill.
The Archbishop urged the family to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived “a good life”.
Meanwhile, it was a gathering of who- is- who in the country as eminent personalities from across political divides gathered to pay their final respect to the late PDP chieftain.
Some of the dignitaries at the event were the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Darlington Nwokocha (Abia Central, LP); and former Vice President and the 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, represented by Col. Austin Akobundu.
Others were the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, represented by his Deputy, Professor Placid Njoku; Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Princess Patricia Obila; and a former National Chairman of PDP who succeeded Ogbulafor in office, Chief Okwesirieze Nwodo.
Present at the event also were a former Military Administrator of Kogi State, Col. Paul Omeruo (retd.); the immediate-past Deputy Governor of Abia State, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu; former Nigerian Ambassador to Argentina, Chief Empire Kanu; former Minister of State for Defense, Thomas Aguiyironsi; and Senator Nkechi Nworgu.
The Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa; member representing Isiala Ngwa North and South in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe; his Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency counterpart, Hon. Obi Aguocha, among others were also at the event that almost passed for a political carnival.
Later in an interview, the first son of the deceased, Uchenna Ezeogbulafor, described his father as “a complete gentle man” and a source of great inspiration”.
He said the family would dearly miss him but noted that they had taken solace in his legendary lifestyle.
Speaking also in an interview, Senator Nworgu described the late Ogbulafor as “a unifier” who played key role in unifying Abia PDP members in 2010.
“It was a great loss. Abia has lost a rare gem. We will miss him for his open mindedness. He helped in unifying Abia politicians. He brought former Governor T. A Orji into the PDP. I miss him so much”.
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