Police Seal off Abuja Secretariat of Baraje-led New PDP

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Sunday Fase Sunday, September 8th, 2013

By Oludare Sunday Fase,

Nigeria’s riot police

On the order of the Bamanga Tukur led old PDP, the police on Saturday sealed off the Abuja headquarters of the Alh Baraje led faction of the new People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Reports say armed police riot squad took over the premises of the office of the new PDP at Plot 4, Oyi River Crescent, Maitama, Abuja preventing people from gaining access into the building.

A statement from the faction signed by its national secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola blasted the Tukur led faction and vowed that the police invasion will not deter them from rescuing “our party from the lawlessness and crass arrogance that have defined the character of the Tukur leadership since inception.”

The statement reads:

“The whole world knows that Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday refused to grant Bamanga Tukur’s application for an ex parte injunction against our party’s executive.

“The judge asked the parties to maintain the status quo. His judgment was a reinforcement of an earlier order of theLagos High Court, which also asked parties to maintain the status quo. Now, should Nigerians conclude that Tukur’s interpretation of status quo is this crude display of naked power and undisguised impunity?

“We are not at all surprised at this occurrence, given the fact that Tukur issued a statement on Friday evening deliberately seeking to mislead the media and the public that Justice Chukwu granted him an injunction against us.

“We call for an immediate removal of the siege to our secretariat. We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order the immediate removal of his men from our office.

“We hasten to say that if this move is aimed at breaking our spirit, that goal is definitely off the mark. We are determined to rescue our party from the lawlessness and crass arrogance that have defined the character of the Tukur leadership since inception.”

However a statement from Bamanga Tukur led group defended the police action saying “by ordering that the two parties maintain status quo ante bellum, the court has clearly ordered the Baraje group to stop all its activities including operating a secretariat while it affirmed the leadership of the PDP under Tukur.”

“By the order of the court, no person is authorised by law to open a secretariat or operate under the name, colour and flag of the PDP other than the one led by Tukur. The sealing off of the secretariat opened by the Baraje group under the name, colour and flag of the PDP is therefore in order and in line with the law”. Mr. Olisa Metuh stated in a statement issued on behalf of the Tukur led group.