Police prevent senator from entering PDP Secretariat

The Police on Monday prevented Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from entering into the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza at Wuse.

Sheriff arrived the party's secretariat a few minutes past 7 a.m. in company of some of the former members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

He claimed he remains the party’s national chairman and had come to resume office in line with a ruling by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

However, the police barricaded his motorcade and a horde of his supporters from entering the secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the supporters came under two groups, "Guardians of Democracy Support Ali Modu Sheriff’’ and "Ali Modu Sheriff PDP Chairman.’’

They were dressed in crested vests, carrying placards with various inscriptions and were drumming and dancing in the front of the secretariat.

Sheriff told newsmen outside the secretariat that he was not happy with the action of the police.

He said that he was surprised at the action of the police even when the court had ordered the Inspector-General of Police to provide him with adequate security while resuming office.

"The party belongs to Nigerians and not the Nigeria Police or the people that were handpicked at Port Harcourt by Gov. Nysom Wike and his cohorts as well as the man (Sen. Ahmed Makarfi), who is purported to be acting as the national chairman of the party.

"One thing remains; there was no convention in Port-Harcourt because I cancelled it.

"I don't know why the police say we cannot enter our office when we have a valid court order to that effect.

"We will take this matter beyond the Nigeria Police, the law will take its course in this matter,’’ Sheriff said.

He described the party national caretaker committee led by Makarfi as "illegal.’’

"The caretaker committee is not known to the constitution of the party, while the Board of Trustees (BoT) is only an advisory body to the party.

"So, none of them has the power to be running the affairs of our party. Sen. Ahmed makarif led caretaker has no role here; it is an illegal body in the eyes of the law,’’ Sheriff said.

Members of the former NWC, who came to the secretariat with Sheriff, are Prof. Adewale Oladipo and Alhaji Adeyanju Adewole, former National Secretary and former National Auditor, respectively.

At the time of filling this report, Sheriff had left the secretariat, but directed his supporters to remain, promising to come back.