Police Disrupt Anambra PDP Factional Meeting , Seal Off Party Secretariat

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Less than a week the Ahmed Markarafi led National Caretaker Committee NCC of the opposition peoples Democratic party, PDP announced the dissolution of the two factions of the party in Anambra state, South- East Nigeria, the state secretariat in Awka, was on Monday sealed off by the police .

According to the security men, the action was carried out following “order from above.”

Our Correspondent gathered that over 15 heavily armed officers from the state police headquarters in Awka, the Anambra state capital, arrived the party’s secretariat located at Udoka Housing Estate, where the chief Ejike Oguebego, led faction had converged to hold its executive committee Exco meeting.

However, the party officers were prevented from gaining entrance into the compound by the policemen who insisted that they were at the secretariat on order from above to prevent breakdown of law and order.

The state legal adviser of the party, Barr Afam Akonanya, who spoke to newsmen in front of the party Secretariat said they were at a loss why police would refused them entrance.

According to him, there were no longer factions in the party since the Supreme Court judgment, and that peace had returned to the party.

He added: “This is a crucial period in Anambra politics, and it is not the time to disrupt the activities of our party.

“We have been told by the policemen that they are acting based on orders from above, and as law abiding citizens we do not want to force our way inside, but we will return and re-strategize.”

Aso reacting to the development, Barr Osita Igbokwe, chairman of the party in Aguata council area of the state , wondered if the recent dissolution of the state executive by the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee was the reason for the police action.

“Our leaders have not told us of any dissolution. Our brother, Senator Ben Obi is a member of the NCC, and he did not mention it to us. By the way, how can they even dissolve Anambra state exco when we were all elected at the same time with other state executives?

“Why would they dissolve us in isolation if it is true they did? This is a crucial period in Anambra politics, and instead of the NCC to consolidate on the existing peace we have achieved here, they are talking of dissolution. We will not let that happen because they are trying to cause confusion in the party.”

But the state police public Relations officer, PPRO, Mrs Nkiruka Nwode said the police did not invade the party’s secretariat, nor were they interfering in the activities of the party saying

She aid “We moved in to forestall a breakdown of law and order. That is all that we did, and we are only ensuring that there is no problem in the state.”

It would b recalled that the Anambra state chapter of the party has has been operating under two factions for many years now.