Police disrupt Baraje faction’s Caucus meeting, threaten to arrest Governors
Busolami Idowu
The crisis rocking Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, continued Sunday night as a caucus meeting of the New PDP was once again disrupted by the police in Abuja.
Spokesperson to the Baraje led PDP faction Mr. Eze C.Eze in a statement issued Sunday night said “midway into the meeting, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Asokoro Police Unit, CSP Nnanna Ama, burst into the scene and ordered the meeting stopped, threatening to mobilize troops to abort it if his order was not obeyed.
“Not minding all our past complaints about the impunity and disregard of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by our Security organs and it is sadden that the Federal Government has continued to maintain stoic silence and bluntly refused to call our security agencies to order accordingly to us is one of the wonders of the present administration in Nigeria.
Eze further stated that “For a DPO to be sent not only to disrupt meeting of Governors duly elected by Nigerians but to arrest them if they fail to heed his counsel is a sign that these people can decide to disrupt the association of any group of Nigerians at any time knowing that such an act is a breach of the Constitution of our country.”
“Before the arrival of CSP Ama the Governors (had) gone very far in their deliberations as the meeting (had) considered the Mobilisation/Contact Committee’s recommendations on how to receive the five new Governors joining the group and directed the NWC of the party to set in motion a machinery to receive the new entrants”
The statement added “What is baffling to us the more is the continuous silence of our elders and past Heads of State on these various acts of impunity perpetuated by this administration knowing the grave danger such acts will lead this country to. Let it not be assumed that we are the only one(s) to suffer for this desperation and frustration by some of these misguided elements in this administration as they will go after other Nigerians if they are not called to order on time.
The meeting according to Eze was the caucus meeting of the New Peoples Democratic Party (New PDP) to review progress reports, accept the reports of committees and take important decisions on the future of the movement.
The Caucus comprises the G7 Governors, former Governors, present and past Senators, past and present members of the Federal House of Representatives, National Working Committee (NWC) members and some elders and stakeholders of the party.
The Caucus was to deliberate on options to be considered include either to remain in PDP or adopt any of the three other options, namely, accept the proposal of APC or join PDM, VOA or form a new political party.
The Caucus also stated total displeasure at the lack of reasonable effort to sort out the lingering ASSU/FG face-off which has kept our children at home for over four months. It counselled the Federal Government to urgently arrest this ugly incident by declaring a state of emergency in the education sector to enable the Government meet up with the demands of ASUU.
The Caucus concluded by encouraging members to continue to keep faith with the leadership of the party at this trial period, fully aware that it is only a matter of time before we take a final decision that will auger well for our nascent democracy and the nation at large.
