Police Seal Up PDP Natiional Secretariat, Legacy House Over Crises
Bars Modu Sheriff, Others From Gaining EntryThe now badly factionalized Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sunk deeper into crises on Sunday as armed Policemen invaded its National Secretariat (Wadata) and Legacy House, putting the two main offices under locks and keys.The sealing up of the two PDP offices by the Police is not unconnected with the problem of factionalisation plaguing it such that it now operates on three platforms, each laying claims to the party’s leadership.
Ousted National Chairman of PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, joined by the former National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo were billed to address a press conference at the National Secretary of PDP by Sunday afternoon, but on getting to the secretariat, they met a barricade mounted by the Police who reportedly turned them back.
The party, during its National Congress held in Port Harcourt on Sunday had dissolved the National Executive Council (NEC) of PDP, insisting it had the authority to do so, being the highest decision making organ for the party.
The Modu Sheriff led faction of the PDP had rejected the outcome of the Port Harcourt convention, stating that the convention did not have the endorsement of the NEC of the party of which he was the head.
Sheriff had insisted that he remains the PDP National Chairman, vowing to convene a fresh national convention to elect new national officials of the party, having earlier indicted interest in contesting the post of National Chairman.
In the same vein, the PDP faction led by Professor Jerry Gana and Senator Ibrahim Mantu had condemned the resolve by the governors of the party to appoint a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the main opposition party.
With the turn of events, the fate of the PDP is now hanging in the balance in which case none of the three factions will have access to the National Secretariat or the Legacy House to hold meetings and take decisions.