PDP Accuses APC Of Planning Secretariat Closure

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the closure of its national secretariat. This, the party said, is “to decimate and silence our party from providing viable opposition.”
PDP national secretariat has been closed since June last year by police high command at the height of leadership crisis between two factions of the party.
Three days ago, PDP administrative staff staged a peaceful protest demanding the immediate reopening of the secretariat.
A statement signed yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the faction led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, commended the staff for the peaceful protest, and said it was a demonstration of their commitment to service, loyalty and dedication to the party’s well-being and advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
The party consequently demanded the unconditional reopening of its national secretariat by the police high command. The statement noted that the continued closure of the national secretariat portends danger to the nation’s democracy as it was aimed at stifling the opposition.
“The gross incompetence of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians has pitched it against the progress of the PDP.
“This is shameful, inexplicable and unfortunate as the PDP in 16 years did not interfere with internal affairs of opposition political parties or used instruments of state to shut down their secretariats due to internal crisis or for anything whatsoever.
“These harassments and intimidation of the APCled administration against opposition in Nigeria portends grave danger for democracy at large,” the party added.
PDP commended the Nigerian judiciary for its effort to actualise the principles of separation of power, and urged the courts to continue to maintain judiciary independence on all matters brought before it.
The party further called on the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division to deliver the reserved judgement on the party’s leadership crisis pending before it “to allow the PDP concentrate on its rebuilding process and to provide alternative governance in the country.
“It is no gain saying that any democracy without a viable opposition is considered a dictatorship, unstable, unhealthy and a recipe for anarchy.”
PDP also urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) “to urgently do the needful in respect of the petition submitted against the Special Appeal Panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
“The current petition, like the two previous ones, is another delay tactics he devised with his collaborators against justice to the PDP and its membership nationwide.
“We further call on all our members and teeming supporters nationwide to be vigilant and remain committed to the rebuilding of the PDP and advancing our democracy.”