After the violent invasion of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Secretariat on Monday by ousted National Chairman of the party, Sen. Alimodu Sheriff. The Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, as being the brain behind the invasion.
This was stated by the National Publicity Secretary, PDP Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adeyeye said the move that was well planned and executed in connivance with the Nigerian Police Force was a ploy by the All Progressive Congress, APC, by has contracting Sheriff and his cohorts to scuttle the chances of the PDP in the Edo Governorship elections.
His words, “Yesterday, Monday 13th June 2016, the former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, former National Secretary, Prof. Olawole Oladipo and former National Auditor, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju accompanied by three lorry load of thugs sand bandits invaded the National Secretariat of the PDP as early as 6:00am.
“When rumours of the planned invasion filtered out on Sunday, we took steps to alert the Police to secure the building and to protect the lives and properties of members.
“Up to a point, the Police discharged their responsibilities satisfactorily, however, later on without any justification whatsoever, Ali Modu Sheriff and other renegades were allowed to gain entry into the Secretariat, where they later proceeded to address a press conference.
“While we are still trying to understand the role of the Police in the entire saga, it is curious that the Police made no arrest of the thugs who openly brandish various dangerous weapons in and around the premises of the Secretariat in full glare of the Police. It is also curious that the Police claimed to be acting on “Order from above” in allowing Sheriff and his cohorts to gain entry into the Secretariat. if we may ask, who is the authority that issued the “order from above”?
“What we are however very certain about is that Sheriff and his fellow renegades are being used by the enemies of PDP to destroy the Party and to prevent it from reorganizing itself, so as to provide a credible opposition and alternative platform for the forthcoming Edo State Gubernatorial election and 2019 elections.
“The All Progressive Congress, APC, has contracted Sheriff and his cohorts to scuttle the chances of the PDP in the Edo Governorship elections. We have credible intelligence that Sheriff had a meeting on Sunday night with an APC Governor from North West, where it was agreed that he will be given a full security and financial support to exacerbate the crisis in the PDP with the objective of preventing the PDP from presenting a candidate for the Edo State Governorship elections, or in the very least to prevent the PDP from offering a serious challenge to APC whose electoral fortunes has continued to nosedive.
“We assure our teeming supporters in Edo State in particular and Nigeria in general that the Party will take all necessary measures to prevent the Party from being hijacked by political merchants.”
According to him the entire party stands on the judgement given by the Federal High Court which endorsed the decisions of the National Convention held in Port Harcourt.
He said: “The Federal High Court in suit N0 FHC/PH/CS524/2016 has endorsed the decisions of the National Convention held in Port Harcourt on the 21st of May, 2016. The Order of the Federal High Court presided over by Justice A. M. Liman is still subsisting and has not elapsed contrary to the insinuation of Senator Ali Sheriff.
“The Order will subsist until the determination of the Motion on Notice. The Motion on Notice will come on hearing on Thursday. Only three of the members of the defunct National officers are still parading themselves but constitutionally they cannot form a quorum for any legitimate business of the Party.
“Under Article 29(4) of the PDP Constitution as Amended the quorum of the NWC is two third of the membership drawn from at least two third of the zones in the country. It is therefore very clear that three people cannot make up the National Working Committee (NWC). We also wonder who Sheriff will be Chairman over when he is already rejected by 99.99 percent of the Party.”
