PDP staff demand re-opening of sealed national secretariat

Staff of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Staff Welfare Forum have demanded the immediate re-opening’ of the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja

PDP demand re-opening of national secretariat

The employees on Tuesday, January 3, in Abuja made the demand during a peaceful protest in front of the national secretariat.

Dan Ochubaiye, the secretary of the forum, said the appeal became necessary in order to enable the party discharge its responsibilities.

He said: “It may be recalled that no court in the country gave the order for the lock-down of the PDP National Secretariat by the Nigerian Police Force.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Secretariat to allow the staffers to enter their offices for routine party activities.

“It is only fair and just for the staffers to be allowed into their legitimate offices while the Police are duty-bound to provide adequate security for them as provided in the Nigerian constitution.’’

The shutdown of the secretariat was followed by the lingering leadership crisis rocking PDP after its parallel non-elective conventions held in Port-Harcourt and Abuja in May 2016.

A detachment of armed police personnel had on May 22, 2016 sealed off all the entrance gates to the secretariat, preventing human and vehicular movements into premises.

The police had explained the action as a way to prevent breakdown of law and order following the party’s May 21, 2016 national convention held in Port Harcourt which sacked its acting National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and instituted a national caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.