Unable to curtail the growing influence of the breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abubakar Baraje, President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday ordered the sealing of the secretariat just opened by the faction.
There had been reports that the Presidency had set up a high-powered security machinery to scuttled the opening of the secretariat by the Baraje led faction. But the new PDP beat the security moves and opened its office at Plot 320, Panama Street, Off Onyi River Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.
However, on Saturday, officers of the Nigeria Police stormed the office complex, sealing it off and condoning all the adjoining streets leading to the secretariat in order to prevent people from gaining access into it. The fierce-looking policemen barricaded the area with armoured tanks and security vehicles.
Since the incident, there has been no statement from the Police on the specific reasons for the action, and telephone calls to Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba have gone unreturned.
However, confirming the sealing of the secretariat, former Governor of Osun State and National Secretary of the New PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola said the Police sealed off the building based on a non-existent court injunction that the Tukur faction claims it obtained on Friday.
“The whole world knows that Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday refused to grant Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s application for an ex-parte injunction against our party’s executive. The judge asked parties to maintain the status quo,” Oyinlola said.
“His judgement was a reinforcement of an earlier order of the Lagos 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 are happy that the ever-vigilant Nigerian press ignored him and his falsehood. Now, he is not only wilfully disobeying the various courts which have made pronouncements on this matter, he is spicing up his love for impunity with this reckless misuse of state power by misleading the Police.
“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. Doing so, we believe, will serve the interest of justice, rule of law and democracy. Nigeria is a country ruled by law and not by might and force.
“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. Our party needs that deliverance, its members deserve the change we have brought into it,” the statement added.
According to Oyinlola, sealing off the secretariat is proof that Tukur does not want the much-sought-after peace by leaders, such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General Ibrahim Babangida, who held a meeting with the warring groups less than 12 hours before the latest action.
But in the defence, the Tukur faction explained that the sealing off of the secretariat follows the injunction it received on Friday early affirming the leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“The court clearly granted the request of the PDP that the group led by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje should not operate or be recognised by INEC,” the Tukur faction said, explaining what the court meant by ordering the parties to maintain the status quo.
“Our attention has been drawn to reports by a section of the media erroneously suggesting that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja did not accede to our prayer that INEC should not recognise the so-called new PDP led by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, “National Publicity Secretary of the Tukur faction, Olisa Metuh, wrote in a counter statement on Saturday.
“For the avoidance doubt, the position of the Federal High Court is clear. 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 Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“By the order of the court, no person is authorized by law to open a secretariat or operate under the name, colour and flag of the PDP other than the one led by Alhaji Bamanga 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.”
The Tukur faction urged members to remain steadfast to the constitution of the party, especially as it marches on towards victory in the 2015 general elections.
