The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi was forced to change the venue of its stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold on Monday in Abuja as the police cordoned of the International Conference Centre (ICC) originally booked for the event.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi was forced to change the venue of its stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold on Monday in Abuja as the police cordoned of the International Conference Centre (ICC) originally booked for the event.
A detachment of policemen sealed off the entrance of the centre in the morning before the event was due to commence.
It was not immediately clear while the police took the action but not to be deterred, the PDP moved its meeting to the Asokoro private residence of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state.
Reacting to the police action, the party observed that it was a descent into fascism, saying that the police have become an organ used by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to oppress its opponents.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Makarfi’s group, Dayo Adeyeye said: “It is clear demonstration of the fact that this country is gradually slipping into fascism which is an extreme form of dictatorship. We now have full blown dictatorship in Nigeria.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“How on earth can police prevent people from having peaceful assembly? We are group of people. We are a political party. We want to meet. You have no right as police to prevent us from meeting. It is completely out of place to do that.[/perfectpullquote]
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“It means that the police have become an instrument in the hands of the APC, the oppressive APC government, to crush all opposition. We are not going to take that. It’s a very disgraceful act and the police should bury their heads in shame.”[/perfectpullquote]
At the meeting, all organs of the party and major stakeholders threw their weights behind the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party as the authentic leadership produced by a resolution of its national convention.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting noted that having duly filed both an appeal to the Supreme Court and an application for Injunction Pending Appeal on Monday over the Court of Appeal judgment reinstating Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman, they resolved to pass “a resounding and unqualified vote of confidence” on Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.
The organs and stakeholders therefore pledged their “unalloyed support to it as it pilots the affairs of the party in this critical transitional period of the party’s life.”
It added: “To this end, we are not at all deceived by the supposed olive branch being offered by Sen. Ali Modu Sherrif, knowing that the only thing that can come from traitors of his ilk is nothing but a poisoned chalice and a Greek gift.
“The meeting reiterates that the party’s Constitution stipulates the process of democratically electing officers of the party and therefore emphatically rejects any imposition such as those being illegally paraded as officers of the party by Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.”
The meeting enjoined party leaders and stakeholders to return to their geo-political zones, states, local government areas and wards to convene meetings of the party and disseminate the decisions to members.
It urged party members to remain calm, steadfast, loyal even “in the face of wanton provocation of sealing off the venue of a peaceful assembly of stakeholders,” saying that the party remained committed to the ideals of the party “which stands us out as democrats.”
The communique also noted “the mismanagement of our economy by the APC-led Federal Government, the decline in investor confidence and massive capital flight leading to the Nigerian currency being the worst performing on the African continent; the dehumanization of Nigerians, the abridgement of fundamental human rights, persecution of political opponents, and the return to the dark days of mindless dictatorship and the reign of fear, all leading to a state of helplessness and hopelessness; the PDP reaffirms its commitment to return Nigeria in 2019 to the path of Economic growth and respect for fundamental human rights as guaranteed by our constitution.”
Therefore, it said a PDP-led Federal Government will remove hunger in the land and restore confidence in the Nigerian economy.
Furthermore, the meeting agreed to appeal to all Nigerians to fully support the PDP, “a genuinely Democratic Party that is people oriented and a great defender of equity, justice and fairness to all in its commitment to eradicating poverty, hunger and under-development from our country.”
Among the prominent party leaders that attended the meeting were the National Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Governors Ayo Fayose, Nyesom Wike, Udom Emmanuel and Ifeanyi Okowa; House Minority Leader, Leo Ogor,; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Walid JIbrin; former governors Godswill Akpabio, Ibrahim Shekarau, Babangida Aliyu, Sule Lamido, Idris Wada and Ramalan Yero.
Also there were Austin Okpara, Emeka Ihedioha, Vincent Ogbulafor, Jerry Gana, Tom Ikimi, Tunde Adeniran, FEMI Fani Kayode, Mike Ononlememen, Saminu Turaki, Ibrahim Idah, Iyiola Omisore, Bode George, Abdul Ningi, John Odey, Sergeant Awuse, Uche Secondus, Fidelia Njeze, Bala Mohammed, Felix Hyett, Lee Maeba and Grace Bent.
Others were Ebenezer Babatope, Abba Moro, Bala Mande, Celestine Omehia, Stella Omu, Biodun Olujimi, Aminu Wali, Achike Udenwa, Tunde Ogbeha, Tunde Akogun, Raymond Dokpesi, Damishi Sango, Odion Ugbesia, Ben Obi, Dayo Adeyeye, Aniete Okon, Zainab Maina, Nenadi Usman, among others.
