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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force, yesterday, sealed up the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wadata Plaza, located along Micheal Okpara Street, Zone 5, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The police also blocked all access points to the party secretariat with patrol vehicles.
The action followed Tuesday’s violent confrontation between two factions over control of the party headquarters.
Supporters of the PDP National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki and loyalists of the factional acting National Chairman, Abdulraham Mohammed, had clashed at Wadata Plaza, on Tuesday, where party groups had scheduled to hold their meetings.
While the Turaki National Working Committee (NWC), which is backed by the PDP Governors Forum, had scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting at the venue, the Mohammed-led NWC, which enjoys the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, also scheduled a meeting of Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC).
However, early on Tuesday, the police deployed no fewer than 19 security vans as well as three Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and a large number of policemen at the secretariat.
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When Daily Sun visited the PDP secretariat yesterday, it was observed that multiple barbed wire was used to barricade the main entrance into the Wadata Plaza. While a Police truck was used to black the back entrance.
While most of the security vans have been withdrawn, it was observed that seven security vehicles and one APC were stationed at strategic locations, with the road directly in front of the PDP headquarters closed to traffic.
The major opposition party has been enmeshed in crisis in the past two years, with the governors and loyalists of the FCT Minister struggling for control of party machinery.
The situation in the party deteriorated, recently, after a Federal High Court in Abuja in its judgment, in a suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members – Austin Nwachukwu, Nnanna Amah and George Turnah – who are also Wike’s loyalists directed the opposition party to halt plans for its November 15 and 16 National Convention, over non compliance with extant rules.
The development led to suspension and counter suspension of NWC members, as well as conflicting judgments on the national convention.
Eventually, the convention was held in Ibadan, last weekend and elected a new NWC headed by Turaki. Nevertheless, the Mohammed camp had repeatedly dismissed the convention as a nullity.
