By Rejoice Peterside, Abuja
The newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tanimu Turaki, on Tuesday sought police protection following rising tensions between rival party factions over the control of the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.
Turaki, who briefed journalists after a visit to the FCT Police Command Headquarters, said the leadership elected at the controversial Ibadan national convention was prepared to take full possession of Wadata Plaza, the party’s national headquarters.
The Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) had scheduled its inaugural meeting with party stakeholders for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, even as the rival NWC faction loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, called for separate National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, at the same venue.
Turaki said his visit to the police was a precautionary step to ensure peace amid conflicting meeting notices issued by the suspended National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
According to him, Anyanwu and his group “are no longer members of the PDP,” as the national convention had expelled them.
“Our national convention has taken a decision to expel these elements from the party. We have reported their actions to the police. We don’t want any situation where there will be a breach of peace,” he said.
Turaki insisted that the Ibadan convention remained the highest decision-making platform of the party.
He added that he would lead party leaders, members and stakeholders to reopen the secretariat, which has been sealed since November 3.
“We are holding our meeting in our national secretariat, and anybody sitting there without our consent is an interloper. We have not asked the police or any agency to lock up our offices. Now we are going there to open the place and begin to perform the functions for which we were elected,” he said.
The PDP chairman reiterated his commitment to protecting the party’s internal democracy, saying some members were prepared to defend themselves if provoked.
“Let me reiterate for the avoidance of doubt, we will be there to defend our party, to defend this nascent democracy. We are prepared to lay down our lives,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP secretariat has remained under lock and key due to ongoing leadership disputes within the National Working Committee.
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