A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has condemned the deployment of armed police officers to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, which disrupted the planned meetings of the National Executive Council (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) on Monday.
Speaking to journalists after Bode George and other members of the party’s National Working Committee were denied access to the Wadata Plaza headquarters, George criticised the action and cautioned the Federal Government against igniting political unrest.
“It’s strikingly annoying. This is our property. Was there any court order to say we will not hold our meeting in our office? What is going on?” he queried. “I was a young man in 1962 when it all started in the South West. We must avoid that madness. What is it? Can’t we sit and talk? What is the essence of democracy?”
Bode George speaks further
Visibly frustrated, George likened the situation to authoritarian regimes, saying, “Nigerians are watching. You came to our office, surrounded by police, because we want to have a meeting? You want to turn us into North Korea or turn this country into Russia? We will not allow it, Nigerians will not allow it.”
Despite the disruption, George affirmed that the NEC meeting would still take place but did not reveal the new venue.
Earlier on Monday, New Daily Prime reported that armed security personnel from the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have taken over the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja.
This is as a result of moves by the different groups in the party to meet today at the same venue.
The groups are led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
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The dispute centres on the legitimacy of recent decisions taken by the Acting National Chairman, with the PDP’s Board of Trustees BoT, over who to convene the meetings of the party’s leaders.
