He broke into Wadata Plaza – Makarfi
By Emeka Nze and
Chizoba Ogbeche, Abuja
After several months of controversy surrounding which faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has right of control over the party’s headquarters, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who the Appeal Court returned as the national chairman of the party, has finally reopened the office and taken full control.
The Wadata Plaza headquarters of the PDP was put under lock and key by the police, since June last year, in the wake of internal leadership crisis within the party, to stop the breakdown of law and other by the two factions.
The reopening of the office yesterday was in fulfilment of a promise made by Sheriff on Wednesday that the PDP headquarters would be reopened before Friday.
The PDP national chairman, who came into the premises in a convoy of cars at exactly 6.00 pm, was received by other chieftains of the party loyal to him.
He went straight into the office of the national chairman where he had a short press briefing.
According to the national chairman, they were in the premises to assess the party headquarter to know areas that would require cleaning and repairs.
He declared: “We are here at the National Secretariat this evening to access the place so that we can resume either Monday or Tuesday. We will go round to assess the kind of repair to be done.
“We will get our painters and cleaners over the weekend to work on it, and while they are doing so, we will continue with our consultations just like we have been doing since the judgement.”
Sheriff also stated that while preparations to return to the office is on, he would continue consultations with some party leaders, including former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih today.
Makarfi kicks
Meanwhile, the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party has condemned the takeover, describing it as illegal and unwelcomed.
The faction’s Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in a statement yesterday, said, “as far as we are concerned, the forceful entry of Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team into the party secretariat is illegal and most unwelcome.”
Adeyeye said, “as far as we are concerned, the forceful entry of Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team into the party secretariat is illegal and most unwelcomed.
“We say this because the keys to the secretariat are with the Board of Trustees and we’ve checked with them, and can confirm that the keys were not handed over to Sheriff or any of his followers. The implication of this was that he broke into the secretariat which is a criminal offence.
“We also expected that Modu-Sheriff should have waited for the conclusion of the Appeal we filed at the Supreme Court before he forced himself in just like we held on when we got court judgement favouring us last year.
“We are condemning his action in totality and we view it as an affront on the rule of law. Given his act of illegality, we state clearly that he should be held responsible for any loss of documents or damage to the property within the party secretariat.
“The administrative staffs, as accounting officers, were not around to see the event happen, and as the custodians of the property of the party, they refused to participate in the illegal entry made by Ali Modu-Sheriff.
“His action is provocative and is capable of causing another round of crisis in the party. We advise him in his own interest, to vacate the secretariat immediately.”
“We also call on authority of the Nigerian Police to prevent chaos by flushing Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team out of the PDP secretariat and let all parties wait for the judgement of the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land,” the faction further said.
Chieftain pleads with govs
In a related development, a PDP chieftain from Abia state, Dr. A.C.B. Agabzuere, has advised PDP governors to back Sheriff to save the party from total collapse.
Agbazuere in a statement yesterday said that with Sheriff willing to hold a National Convention soonest to elect new national officers, there was no need for the leadership feud to continue as it was driving people out of the party.
He urged the governors to forget ego and support Sheriff to convene a National Convention of the party.
“The fact that the national chairman has indicated plan for a National Convention, and that he will not contest, is a great sacrifice which the governors must appreciate if they actually love the party and want it to make progress,” he said.
“It is more honourable for governors to accept peace and work with Sheriff as he could still prevail at the Supreme Court because the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party and the law are copiously on his side.
“I urge the governors and other contending stakeholders to take time and read the PDP constitution particularly sections 33 (1) (a) and 35 (1) (a) among others so as to appreciate the constitutional strength of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
“It is also safer for PDP governors to strengthen the party than thinking of forming a new party or going to All Progressives Congress (APC) which some of them have been castigating,” Agbazuere advised.
