PDP begins expanded caucus meeting yesterday

By Lateef Ibrahim

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) yesterday began an expanded caucus meeting at its National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, after an earlier police siege at the venue.

Peoples Daily gathered that the expanded caucus meeting came after a closed-door meeting by Governors elected on the platform of the party at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

Present at the meeting were Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, as well as former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Governor Mohammed, who also chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, while speaking to reporters, addressed the earlier police presence at the secretariat, describing the blockade as necessary to “prevent miscreants” from hijacking the meeting.

Peoples Daily reports that the party had relocated its Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting from Wadata Plaza to the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District, citing security concerns.

PDP officials blasted the police deployment to Wadata Plaza, calling it an act of harassment.

A former national secretary of the PDP, Umar Tsauri, told newsmen that the police claimed they were acting on an “order from above”.

However, the FCT Police Command, denied sealing off the secretariat.

In a statement, its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said officers were only deployed to maintain law and order, stating, “At no time was the Secretariat sealed off by the police.”