The newly elected national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki has postponed the party’s inaugural National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to Wednesday.
Penpushing reports that made this known while addressing governors, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and other stakeholders who had already gathered at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja for the meeting in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The party national chairman, a former minister of special duties explained that the decision was taken due to the chaos that erupted earlier at the secretariat.
“I told him (FCT Police Commissioner) that we are coming here today to have our inaugural NWC meeting and I told him that our leaders would be here to witness this historic moment and I also told him that you’ll see in the social media some flyers purporting to give notice of NEC and BoT by people who are no longer members of this party. And he assured us he’s going to protect us, he assured us that he’s going to provide security for us to conduct our meeting’, he said.
“I’m happy that the Commissioner of Police of the FCT had fulfilled his promise. He had made sure that we gained entry into our secretariat and we’re here addressing the gentlemen of the press’, Turaki added.
‘However, due to some incidents that have occurred by these people who are the enemies of progress, who are the enemies of democracy, we have decided that this meeting will be postponed till tomorrow’, he said.
Penpushing further reports that Turaki explained that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under his leadership is prepared to defend the party at all costs, even if it requires laying down our lives for its progress.
The chairman declared that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, embattled National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, factional Chairperson, Mohammed Abdulrahman; and others suspended during the Ibadan convention are no longer members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Penpushing also reports that Turaki accused Wike’s faction of instigating the chaos at the secretariat, including the teargas fired at party members, which he claimed was done by security forces allegedly sponsored by the faction.
The party chairman and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and their entourage, gained access to the secretariat premises and the National Executive Council(NEC) hall with the assistance of their security details, who cleared the road and kept people at a distance.
Penpushing reports that a few minutes later, at about 11:20 a.m., the suspended Wike arrived in a company of heavily armed security operatives to the secretariat of the party.
The armed police officers it would be recalled fired teargas at protesters at the national secretariat of the party in an attempt to prevent some party officials and supporters from accessing the premises.
Penpushing further reports that the officers had earlier barricaded the party compound, but tensions escalated when the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, arrived at about 10:45 a.m., with his entourage for the inaugural National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting convened by the new leadership of the party under Kabiru Turaki.
The governor and his supporters were allowed through the main gate, security operatives prevented them from entering the hall where the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was scheduled to hold.
Penpushing also reports that this led to a confrontation between the governor’s team and security personnel, who insisted on restricting access, and after a brief struggle, the governor and a few members of his entourage eventually gained entry into the hall, while others who were denied access engaged in a heated altercation with the officers.
The amid chaos, forced several supporters to scale the perimeter fence in an attempt to reach the venue, prompting police to fire more teargas across the complex, effectively shutting down activities.
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