Sealing PDP national secretariat, height of irresponsibility, says Damagum

• Calls it threat to democracy

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described Monday’s sealing of the party’s national secretariat by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as the height of irresponsibility.

The national secretariat of the leading opposition party was sealed yesterday by the FCDA over unpaid accumulated ground rent.

While reacting to the development yesterday, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Ilya Damagum faulted the action, stressing that the FCTA will have the party to contend with.

He however didn’t say whether the PDP will be heading for court to challenge the action or not.

Damagum spoke yesterday after the meeting of the national caucus of the PDP, held at the Bauchi State Government Liaison office in Asokoro, Abuja, was adjourned till 10 am today.

The meeting was attended by all the PDP Governors except those of Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States,  Pastor Umo Eno and Senator Duoye Diri respectively.

Also in attendance were former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, another former Senate President and Chairman, Board of Trustees’ (BoT) of PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana and Alhaji Aminu Wali among others.

In a brief chat with journalists, Amb Damagum said, “As you can see, we just adjourned our meeting for today to tomorrow, 10 o’clock. This meeting is going to continue. We’ve just set up a small committee that will give us a report.

“Tomorrow (today) morning I will continue. I will address you properly by the time we conclude our meeting tomorrow.

“And I want to use this opportunity to tell you that you can see, I am sure, you are aware that our office has been sealed.

“This is the height of irresponsibility from this government. If they are encouraging it, we are not going to take it lightly.

“In fact, they can come and arrest all of us. We are ready for that. But we condemn this in totality, and it is the highest sense of irresponsibility, and we will not tolerate it.

“They are trying to mar democracy, and this is unacceptable. We condemn it, and we will make sure that they will have us to contend with in the near future”.

He however refused to comment on whether the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP slated for today will hold or not.

Governors in attendance at the meeting were those of Bauchi,  Plateau, Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa.

In attendance were; the BoT Chairman,  Sen. Adolphus Wabara, Prof. Jerry Gana, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu,  Sen. Bukola Saraki, acting national chairman,  Amb. Iliyasu Umar Damagum led members of the National Working Committee (NWC).