*Two factions clash at party’s national secretariat
*Wike storms Wadata House, remains in his car for hours
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The battle for the control of the soul of the crisis ridden Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took a disturbing dimension on Tuesday as Governors of Bauchi and Oyo States, Senator Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde respectively,
newly elected National Chairman of the party, Mr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), journalists and others were repeatedly tear gassed by armed policemen, who stormed the venue in their number.
Trouble started when the leadership of the two factions of the PDP, the one loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike/the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu on one hand and the PDP Governors/newly elected National Chairman, Turaki both arrived the party’s National secretariat in Wadata House.
Governors Bala Mohammed, who doubles as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Makinde and Turaki arrived at the party’s national secretariat by 10:45am with their supporters
Attempt by the policemen to prevent them from assessing the secretariat all failed.
The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction, backed by Wike, had earlier arrived the national secretariat of the PDP as early as few minutes past 8 am. They came in through the back entrance of the Wadata House and went straight to office of the National Chairman of the party on the second floor.
While the Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, Tanimu and their supporters went into the National Executive Committee (NEC) hall with the intention of holding an inaugural meeting of National Working Committee, NWC meeting with stakeholders, the other faction slated two meetings-NEC and Board of Trustees (BoT).
After some time, the Minister of the FCT, Wike arrived the Wadata House.
Shortly after the arrival of Wike, who remained in his vehicle for hours without coming out, the Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde and their supporters who were almost on their way out, staged a come back into the national secretariat.
The atmosphere became charged as the policemen on ground, who were led by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Miller G. Dantawaye, accompanied by other top officers, began to shoot tear gas intermittently.
The cameraman of the Nigeria Television Authority, Baba Mohammed was beaten mercilessly, with blood gushing out of his head in the course of doing his work.
His camera was destroyed. The timely intervention of Governor Bala Mohammed saved him from being lynched.
Several others were also beaten. The impact of the tear gas made some persons around, including journalists, to start vomiting.
When the police commissioner advised Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde to vacate the secretariat, they in turn told the CP to first go and inform Wike to leave, failing which they too will not vacate the secretariat.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and several police vehicles were stationed in strategic places around the Wadata House. As at the time of filing this report by 1pm on Tuesday, neither Wike nor the two Governors were willing to leave the PDP headquarters.
Turaki, in an interview with Journalists, lamented the rate at which they and others were tear gassed. He nonetheless vowed that democracy must survive.
Bala on his party lamented that members of the party who have been expelled are the ones called the problem.
He called of the All Progressives Congress-led to allow opposition’ to survive in the country.
The FCT Minister however left the PDP headquarters at about 2:09pm on Tuesday.
END
