BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Despite denial from the Police high Command that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Secretariat was not sealed as widely reported, the main opposition Party on Monday arranged a new venue to host its Board of Trustees, (BoT) meeting
Arising from the tense atmosphere and confusion at the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat that witnessed high Police presence, the meeting’s venue was moved to the Musa Yar’Adua Centre in the Central Business District of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The party indicated that the decision to look for alternative venue was arrived at because the Secretariat had been taken over by armed policemen from the FCT Police Command.
Describing the Police action as harassment, the PDP posted on its X (Twitter) handle: “Happening Now- Federal Police, other security agencies with the order (sic) of All Progressives Congress, APC, harassing Board of Trustees members and staff of the Party’s National Secretariat in a bid to stop the scheduled meeting.”
Accordingly, the Party dropped a “Special Announcement!” as follows: “Change of Venue for the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, meeting. The meeting of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, earlier scheduled to hold by 10a.m at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, has been moved to Yar’Adua Center, Central Business District, Abuja.
“All BoT members are by this notice advised to proceed to the new venue”.
Police Refute Claims
But reacting to the media reports circulating on some media platforms, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command debunked claims that its operatives sealed off the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
A statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Josephine Adeh, clarified the situation thus: “The FCT Police Command is aware of the news making the rounds alleging that the Police sealed off the PDP secretariat in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that this information is false, misleading, and does not reflect the true situation on ground”.
Offering further insight, SP Adeh explained that the presence of police personnel at the PDP Secretariat was strictly a preventive measure aimed at ensuring peace and public safety.
She said; “Police officers were only deployed to the venue to maintain law and order and ensure public safety in line with their constitutional mandate. At no time was the secretariat sealed off by the Police.”
Meanwhile, the statement also quoted the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Mr Ajao Adewale, as urging media organizations to always verify sensitive information with the Police Public Relations Office before going public.
