Security Operatives on Monday took over the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as party leaders issued counter notice for the party 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled.
The two factions of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had scheduled to hold separate meetings at the PDP Secretariat on Monday (today), at the same NEC Hall.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, led faction of the NWC planned to hold an expanded caucus meeting, stating that the NEC 100th NEC meeting had been postponed.
On the contrary the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja’s faction insisted at a news conference on Sunday night that the meeting would hold on June 30 as scheduled.
While Damagum’s camp fixed its expanded caucus meeting for 2p.m., Arapaja’s group scheduled the NEC meeting for 1p.m., both at the same venue.
However, security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrived at the party national headquarters with their trucks and barricaded the roads leading to the entrance of the secretariat.
The security personnel also chased away suspected thugs who arrived earlier at the party secretariat, while members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) who came to the secretariat were also denied access to the building.
One of the security agencies hinted that they were deployed to maintain peace by not allowing any of the meetings to hold at the party’s national secretariat.
Some of the BoT members denied entrance into the premises of the PDP secretariat includes Maina Chiroma and Chief Bode George.
Former National Secretary of the PDP, Mr Umar Tsauri who was also one of the party leaders denied access to the secretariat said that the security operatives claimed that they were acting in accordance with ”order from above”.
Also speaking on the development, Bode George, a BoT member, in an interview with newsmen described the development as ”madness” that must be avoided.
George said that they were told that they could not hold meeting in their party secretariat, saying what then is the essence of democracy? Nigerians are watching.
”You came to our office surrounded by police because you want to have a meeting? You want to turn us to North Korea? Or turn this country to Russia? We will not allow it. Nigerians will not allow it.
”I have seen both sides. Let them be very careful. Allow everybody to walk according to the law of the land.
”We spoke to some of the policemen who said that actually it is to maintain law and order because of the conflicting notices that emerged yesterday and also that they got an order from above,” he said.
The BoT member said that the meeting could be held elsewhere, adding that this is the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau.
“Whoever is the person that ordered from the above, we have heard it before? I have been on both sides. The military and the civil,” he said.
He advised those behind the order to be guided, saying ”we have more problems, economic, financial, education, infrastructure, they should face that.”
He described PDP as the only political Iroko tree in the country that cannot be destroyed.
Meanwhile the BoT meeting earlier scheduled for 10am at the party secretariat has been has been rescheduled to Yar’Adua Center. (NAN).
