Turaki’s Camp Kicks As Wike-Backed PDP Gains Control Of Party National Secretariat

National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, yesterday inspected the renovation at Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following last month’s national convention.

Pictures of the Anyanwu, his aides, and security operatives were seen on the party premises yesterday, signalling a takeover of the party’s national office by the group backed by the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

Recall that the premises was sealed last year by the Police after a clash between the warring camps – Nyesom Wike-backed PDP led by Abdullrahman Mohammed and the Governors-backed PDP led by Tanimu Turaki.

The matter was taken to court shortly afterwards. It was pending as of the time last year’s Ibadan national convention (governors-backed) and this year’s Abuja national convention (Wike-backed) were conducted.

The Turaki-led PDP had on Saturday rejected the Police’s plan to open the party secretariat to the Wike-backed camp while the case was still in court.

Meanwhile, a pro-Turaki group, the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP), has cautioned those it called “All Progressives Congress (APC) apologists” to steer clear of the party’s national secretariat.

National Coordinator, CP-PDP, Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu, in a statement, said, “It is with great concern that our attention was drawn to attempts by certain individuals, working for the APC but masquerading as PDP members, to take over the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.”

The CP-PDP called the moves by APC apologists a clear invitation to crisis.

“Members of the PDP will never allow the APC or its agents to take control of the National Secretariat of the PDP under any guise whatsoever,” the statement added.

Nwachukwu cautioned that PDP members will firmly resist any move towards a takeover.

“Our members are already on high alert and will not hesitate to occupy the Party’s National Secretariat in their thousands should there be any attempt to compromise the integrity of the complex.”

The CP-PDP noted that the matter regarding the party’s National Secretariat is still pending before the courts.

“However, it cautions that while PDP members are peaceful, law-abiding, and vigilant, they are not ready to fold their arms and do nothing while individuals take the law into their own hands by illegally seizing control of the Secretariat in total disdain for the Rule of Law.

“The CP-PDP calls on all its members and other loyalists of the PDP to remain calm while awaiting further directives on the matter,” it added.