Why we sealed off party’s secretariat –Police
NEwly constituted Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by senator Ahmed Makarfi and the senator Ibrahim Mantu-led Concerned PDP Stakeholders, made up of former and serving Board of Trustees (BoT) members, will soon meet on the way forward for the party.
After the meeting, Daily Sun gathered that the two groups would unite and form a cohesive, strong unit.
The Makarfi group had its inaugural meeting yesterday, it was gathered.
It was also learnt that senator Ali Modu-Sheriff and few members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) still loyal to him met at his residence in Abuja, yesterday. A party source disclosed that Sheriff, at the end of the meeting, left for Lagos for another meeting with a serving senator from the South-West ahead of a suit to challenge the dissolution of his NWC at the national convention held last weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was also gathered that Makarfi’s committee and the Concerned Stakeholders will meet “ to ensure that they come together to neutralise whatever threat Sheriff and remnants of his supporters pose to the survival of the party.
“Don’t forget that Makarfi was a member of the Concerned PDP Stakeholders at its formative stage.
“They know him as a bridge builder and they have tremendous respect for him. Senator Mantu and his team are anxious to meet him,” Daily Sun learnt.
The Mantu group had, at the weekend, indicated readiness to open discussion with the caretaker committee put in place at the weekend at the convention held in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, Concerned PDP Stakeholders has said it is the authentic body representing the party.
The group, led by former secretary to the PDP BoT, Prof Jerry Gana, which last week appointed Mantu as caretaker chairman, said that since former and current members of the PDP BoT are with it, the group is the authentic one that could speak for the opposition party.
According to Gana, neither the senator Markafi-led group or the Sheriff faction of the PDP is the true representative.
“We have former and serving BoT members in our group. Therefore, we are the authentic PDP. Neither the Markafi or Sheriff factions can lay claim to PDP. We are PDP and will do everything to rescue the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police, yesterday, said it sealed off the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, on Sunday, after intelligence reports indicated that a faction of the party was plotting to cause trouble.
There are three factions in PDP arising from contending interests. One faction is led by Prof. Jerry Gana, another by senator Ahmed Makarfi, who is interim national chairman; and the third one by senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who insists he remains in office as national chairman.
On Sunday, armed police officers cordoned off the main entrance of the party’s national secretariat at Wuse zone 5. The police siege to Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of PDP in Abuja, entered its second day yesterday with the workers prevented from gaining entry into the building.
No member of Sheriff’s National Working Committee (NWC), which had since been dissolved but has vowed to continue in office, was sighted near the secretariat.
Police spokesperson, Bisi Kolawole said that “intelligence report indicated that some aggrieved factional leaders and members of the PDP perfected plans to engage thugs from across the country to join them in threatening public peace and security in Abuja.
Also commenting on the situation, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, said the Sheriff-led NWC was dissolved to save the party.
Fayose said:“I supported Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in good conscience. But when it became obvious that his continuous stay in office as the national chairman will jeopardise the collective interest of the party, I had no option than to support his removal.
“To me, the general interest of the party overrides that of any individual and there is no how I can stand in support of any plan to sacrifice the party for any individual”.
NEwly constituted Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by senator Ahmed Makarfi and the senator Ibrahim Mantu-led Concerned PDP Stakeholders, made up of former and serving Board of Trustees (BoT) members, will soon meet on the way forward for the party.
After the meeting, Daily Sun gathered that the two groups would unite and form a cohesive, strong unit.
The Makarfi group had its inaugural meeting yesterday, it was gathered.
It was also learnt that senator Ali Modu-Sheriff and few members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) still loyal to him met at his residence in Abuja, yesterday. A party source disclosed that Sheriff, at the end of the meeting, left for Lagos for another meeting with a serving senator from the South-West ahead of a suit to challenge the dissolution of his NWC at the national convention held last weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was also gathered that Makarfi’s committee and the Concerned Stakeholders will meet “ to ensure that they come together to neutralise whatever threat Sheriff and remnants of his supporters pose to the survival of the party.
“Don’t forget that Makarfi was a member of the Concerned PDP Stakeholders at its formative stage.
“They know him as a bridge builder and they have tremendous respect for him. Senator Mantu and his team are anxious to meet him,” Daily Sun learnt.
The Mantu group had, at the weekend, indicated readiness to open discussion with the caretaker committee put in place at the weekend at the convention held in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, Concerned PDP Stakeholders has said it is the authentic body representing the party.
The group, led by former secretary to the PDP BoT, Prof Jerry Gana, which last week appointed Mantu as caretaker chairman, said that since former and current members of the PDP BoT are with it, the group is the authentic one that could speak for the opposition party.
According to Gana, neither the senator Markafi-led group or the Sheriff faction of the PDP is the true representative.
“We have former and serving BoT members in our group. Therefore, we are the authentic PDP. Neither the Markafi or Sheriff factions can lay claim to PDP. We are PDP and will do everything to rescue the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police, yesterday, said it sealed off the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, on Sunday, after intelligence reports indicated that a faction of the party was plotting to cause trouble.
There are three factions in PDP arising from contending interests. One faction is led by Prof. Jerry Gana, another by senator Ahmed Makarfi, who is interim national chairman; and the third one by senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who insists he remains in office as national chairman.
On Sunday, armed police officers cordoned off the main entrance of the party’s national secretariat at Wuse zone 5. The police siege to Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of PDP in Abuja, entered its second day yesterday with the workers prevented from gaining entry into the building.
No member of Sheriff’s National Working Committee (NWC), which had since been dissolved but has vowed to continue in office, was sighted near the secretariat.
Police spokesperson, Bisi Kolawole said that “intelligence report indicated that some aggrieved factional leaders and members of the PDP perfected plans to engage thugs from across the country to join them in threatening public peace and security in Abuja.
Also commenting on the situation, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, said the Sheriff-led NWC was dissolved to save the party.
Fayose said:“I supported Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in good conscience. But when it became obvious that his continuous stay in office as the national chairman will jeopardise the collective interest of the party, I had no option than to support his removal.
“To me, the general interest of the party overrides that of any individual and there is no how I can stand in support of any plan to sacrifice the party for any individual”.
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