BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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ARMED security personnel comprising policemen and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have again blocked the entrance into the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Monday’s take over was sequel to an early morning attempt by the ousted National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Ali Sheriff to take over the Secretariat.
Sheriff, some of his aides and supporters attempted to enter the building but were prevented from doing so by the security personnel.
The former chairman in company with former National Secretary, Professor Adewale Oladipo, and ex-National Auditor Adeyanju Adewole, said he was at the National Secretariat to resume as chairman based on an order obtained from a Court in Lagos.
Trucks and minivans belonging to the Police have barricaded all roads leading to and out of the secretariat.
Sheriff and his convoy, however, maneuvered their way to reach the main gate before they were stopped.
In response to questions from newsmen at the scene, Sheriff expressed surprise that policemen would act the way they did when the court order specifically ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide him and members of his team adequate security.
Sheriff said: “The Party belongs to Nigerians and not the Nigeria police or the people that were handpicked at Port-Harcourt by Gov. Wike and his cohorts as the man who purported to be acting as the national chairman of the Party, one thing remains, there was no convention in Port-Harcourt because I cancelled it.
“I don’t know why the police can say we cannot enter our offices when we have a valid court order to that effect, we will take this matter beyond the Nigeria Police, the law will take its course in this matter”.
“When you are talking of a caretaker assuming office here last week, the caretaker committee was not known to the constitution of the party while the Board of Trustees, BOT, is only an advisory body in the Party, so none of them has the power to be running the affairs of our party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker has no role here, it is an illegal body in the eyes of the law.”
As of 11:33am, Sheriff explained that he was still trying to reach the IGP, Solomon Arase, to enforce the court order. Meanwhile, his supporters who were displaying various placards were seen around the secretariat drumming and dancing to solidarity songs.
The party’s Board of Trustees last week, handed over the secretariat to the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee after most of the party’s factions including the National Assembly caucus pledged allegiance to the committee. — Punch
— Jun 13, 2016 @ 14:00
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