Protesters shut down activities at PDP national secretariat

Angry protesters from Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday shut down the ruling party’s national secretariat in Abuja as officials of the party deserted their offices for fear of being lynched.

The protesters under the aegis of Coalition of Rivers State PDP House of Assembly and National Assembly aspirants arrived the national secretariat around 7a.m and immediately sealed off all the entry points into the secretariat.

The protesters wielded dangerous weapons such as bottles and knives, carried mock coffin, challenged security personnel and ordered them to vacate their duty post.
Consequently, a detachment of about 100 policemen drafted to the scene stood helplessly about 500 metres away.

It would be recalled that crisis erupted following the PDP ward congresses, screening of aspirants and subsequently the state House of Assembly primaries.

The protesters challenged the national leadership of the party for reportedly giving former minister of state for education, Nyesom Wike, prominence over other PDP governorship aspirants ahead of the 2015 elections in Rivers State.

The protest took a different dimension when a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) and PDP national woman leader, Kema Chikwe, escaped a mob action as she was hurriedly assisted into a waiting vehicle.

Speaking with newsmen, leader of the aggrieved protesters, Tubotamuno Dick, explained the protest will continue until their demands are met.

He called for cancellation of the House of Assembly primaries, alleging that the primaries were held even as many aspirants were not cleared.

He said: “Dissolve the two-man Felix Obuah and Ibibia Walter PDP Rivers State executive and set up an unbiased exco at the state, local government area and ward level for the purposes of proper and massive registration of members and subsequent election of three man delegates for the primaries”.

The group among its demand called for the removal of PDP deputy national chairman, Uche Secondus, from office.

But while briefing newsmen on the development, national vice chairman of the PDP in the South South, Cairo Ojugboh, said, “I was called here because of my position in the party, I have spoken with them and they (protesters) gave me 24 hours to make further consultations and come to address them because the party must function, this is not the period to disrupt the activities of the party. I will make further consultation and we will come here to address the gentlemen.

“We feel the party is a very disciplined party, the party listens to everybody and Mr. President is desirous of peace and conducting a free congress and the person’s who are protesting, I have appealed to them and spoken to them that the party will listen to them and nobody under my watch will be oppressed.”