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Mr Tsvangirai reportedly left Harare on Sunday, the day Cde Mudenge’s body arrived in Harare from Masvingo for burial.

Sources say Governor Okorocha, who is reportedly rich, has strong links with the United States government and might be acting as a conduit for financial assistance to the MDC-T to sponsor its election campaigns.

President Mugabe has provisionally said the harmonised elections will be held by 31 March next year.

Said a source close to the matter: “He (the PM) went to Nigeria at the invitation of Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to attend a birthday party. The two are supposed to be friends and the governor is rich.”

Governor Okorocha was recently given an award by the US Congress, which links him to the American establishment.

The award Mr Okorocha got was called Congressional Certificate of Recognition.

In a citation, the governor was described as “one of Africa’s third generation of leaders who represents hope for Nigeria”.

This is almost the same accolade Americans and Europeans gave the MDC-T leader along with his forebears Ndabaningi Sithole and Abel Muzorewa, who also received funding from the West through the late King Hassan of Morocco between 1978 and 1979.

The money came through clandestine transactions that were facilitated by Rhodesia’s Central Intelligence Organisation director-general, Ken Flower, and former deputy director of America’s Central Intelligence Agency, the late Mr Vernon Walters.

The Americans have also been linked with Rhodesian farmers in Kwara State of Nigeria and reports say the PM’s visit had more to do with funding than attending the birthday party.

Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed yesterday that his boss had left for Nigeria, but claimed he was attending a conference for orphans.

“I can confirm that the PM went to Nigeria — Imo State — at the invitation of the governor, to be guest of honour at an orphans’ conference. On his way, he had a stopover in Abuja where he had a meeting with Nigerian President Mr Goodluck Jonathan.

He briefed him on the situation in Zimbabwe before proceeding to Imo province. It is not true that he has gone there for a birthday party,” he said.