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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Efiok Cobham, has raised the alarm that crucial office documents and other property belonging to party have gone missing.
The party, meanwhile, has denied reports that it has a required a new secretariat in Calabar, describing the it as propaganda intended to give a wrong impression to the public.
In a statement made.avaialable to reporters on Tuesday in Calabar, Cobham said information available to the party has it that vital documents belonging to the PDP in the now seized secretariat have been carted away by men allegedly on the instruction of Governor Ben Ayade.
According to him, ‘we have it on good authourity that a white Ford pick up truck without registration number carted the registers and other documents belonging to the PDP out of the secretariat to an unknown destination under the guidance of the police personnel on ground who have taken over the security of the secretariat since Saturday, May 22.’
He noted that in other states where ‘governors defect to parties of choice, such trifling conduct has never been seen before, where a Governor abuse the powers at his disposal.
‘In a democracy, such impunity is obsolete. Little wonder why the progress of the state is stagnated, this is because one man assumes the god position.
‘The PDP hereby advise the Governor and his team to return the said-documents and paraphernalia of the PDP as well as make haste to vacate its secretariat as any damage to both property and documents would be accounted for.’
Imploring the party faithful and supporters to be peaceful and law abiding, the former Deputy Governor to Sen Liyel Imoke debunked speculations that the state PDP has acquired a new secretariat.
He said the party has a secretariat at no 42A Muritala Muhamed highway which it has occupied for the last 20 years and does not intend to abandon it to anybody.
He stated that the party is using every available means to reclaim its secretariat and we have confidence in doing so.
Christian Ita, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Governor Ayade, in a statement made available to reporters, said ‘the former PDP secretariat is a rented property, rent renewed 3 months ago by Governor Ayade who has decamped to APC.’
According to him, ‘the same former officials of the PDP who occupied the property when it was secretariat of the PDP are the persons still occupying it having switched allegiance and moved to the APC with the governor.
‘Rather than fight over what does not belong to it, we will advise the shell-shocked and lame duck PDP to look elsewhere to situate their secretariat.’
