The Chukwuemeka Aaron-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has said it invited the police to take over the party’s secretariat located on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
A State High Court presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo had on Wednesday sacked Aaron as PDP chairman in the state and declared the recent ward, local government and state congresses of the party null and void.
Subsequently, the party appointed the former vice chairman of the party in Rivers West senatorial district, Dr. Nname Ewor, as its acting chairman in the state.
However, before Ewor and members of his caretaker committee could assume duties at that party’s secretariat, anti-riot policemen had taken over all roads leading to the premises.
But, speaking on a live radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt yesterday, the publicity secretary of the Aaron-led faction of the PDP, Dr. Kenneth Woyika, admitted that it was the faction that invited the police to take over the facility.
Woyika said: “I want to clear this point that it was the PDP as led by Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron that did a document to the commissioner of police, stating that because of the statements we have been hearing from the so-called caretaker committee led by Dr. Nname Ewor coming to take over the secretariat and that was why policemen were stationed there.
“Of course, we did so to make sure that the secretariat is in peace,” he said.
The factional PDP spokesman said the party was yet to receive a copy of the judgement that allegedly sacked his executives.
He said: “Our party has not in any way received any of the judgements. Nothing was brought to the state office. It is clear that the national office has equally said they have not received any such judgement. You are not expected to say that I am indebted to you yet there is no documentation to show that.
“If the national legal adviser said they have the judgement, then, the state legal adviser should be furnished with it. In 2023, we had a ruling that said only the state legal adviser that should handle matters concerning the state.
“It is not only the national legal adviser that should have the judgement, the state is also different in it’s operations from the federal. That state legal adviser should be put in the know of what is happening in the state.
“I want to make something clear, this judgement should be enforced by the Sheriff and not by litigants themselves. We are not a party to the suit that was instituted. These are what we are picking up from what they called judgement that they have. No judgement has been served on us.”
