PDP Crisis: Turaki, Wike factions lock horns over Wadata Plaza takeover

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has vowed to resist the planned takeover of the party’s National Headquarters by supporters loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Describing the Wike-backed faction as aggressors, the Turaki-led leadership said the former camp should be held accountable for any breach of peace.

On Thursday, the factional National Caretaker Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, announced at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office that they intend to take over the office on Monday.

The crisis at the PDP headquarters first erupted in November when rival factions and their supporters clashed violently.

The following day, police barricaded the office to prevent either side, both of which had vowed to storm the premises, from entering.

However, addressing journalists at the INEC headquarters on Thursday, Anyanwu reaffirmed their plan.

He said, “We wrote to the police. Remember that the police sealed the place and then the other group went to court to ask the police to open it. The matter was dismissed because they have no locus. So by Monday, we are taking over the office.”

Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led leadership, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said they had been notified of the intention of “some expelled members” of the party to either forcibly or in connivance with security forces gain access to and occupy the National Secretariat.

He added that they had written to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, reminding them that the secretariat is still the subject of cases before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the Court of Appeal.

He said, “Any attempt to enter and occupy these property will be a resort to self-help and an affront to the time-tested principle of law that parties who have submitted to the jurisdiction of courts should not act in ways that will render nugatory, the powers of the Court.”

He explained that the case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the “expelled members,” and as such, “they cannot resort to self-help, until judgment is delivered in the matter.”

The Turaki-led leadership further warned that the statement serves as a reminder to all the dramatis personae, especially the Police Force, which is a party on record in the matter, that “any action taken to grant access to anybody, pending the determination of the suit, is a contempt of the court.”

“We assure that we will deploy all legal means to defend our property from trespass. Responsibility for any injury to persons or damage to property arising therefrom should be placed solely on the aggressors and their security collaborators,” he said.

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