Police cordon off PDP national secretariat with barbed wire, block access points

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), FCT Command, on Wednesday sealed off the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, using barbed wire.

Our correspondent reports that the police also blocked all the access points to the party secretariat with patrol vehicles.

Our correspondent also reports that the action followed the Tuesday violent confrontation between two factions of the party.

Our correspondents, who visited the party secretariat, observed that large coils of razor wire were strategically deployed outside the access road by the building’s perimeter fence, blocking the main gates and halting all administrative and political activities at the facility.

Police patrol vehicles, including trucks, were used to block the road leading to the secretariat as well as the exit gate from the building.

Some police personnel were also seen manning strategic locations around the party secretariat, with no access permit to the secretariat staff members and party officials.

A riot control vehicle was equally stationed adjacent the party secretariat, while security personnel took positions at strategic points.

Our correspondent reports that two rival groups, one loyal to the newly elected National Chairman, Taminu Turaki, and another backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had on Tuesday clashed at the party secretariat.

This followed the plans by the two groups to hold parallel meetings at the same venue within the party secretariat.

Tension, however, escalated following the arrival of prominent figures from both sides, including Wike, the suspended National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, Turaki as well as Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).

The security operatives deployed to the scene subsequently fired tear gas repeatedly to disperse the crowd and restore order within the secretariat.

The PDP, at its recent controversial elective national convention in Ibadan, had expelled Wike, Anyanwu and his group from the party for alleged anti-party activities, while the new national Working Committee, led by Turaki was elected.

However, the factional National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP, led by Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, after its 103rd meeting on Tuesday, also announced the expulsion of Makinde, Bala Mohammed and Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara from the party.

Speaking with newsmen after gaining access to his office on Tuesday, Turaki said that he had assumed office, adding that the party leadership would continue to fight for Nigeria’s democracy.