Policemen guard PDP secretariat as Sheriff resumes duty

• Court frees four party officials in Rivers
• Chieftain in Lagos wants N50m damages for alleged rights abuse

Faction Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday resumed duty at the party’s national secretariat amidst tight security barely a week after he was reinstated by the Appeal Court.

The former Borno state governor who addressed a delegation of party members from Imo State, who paid him a solidarity visit at Wadata House, reiterated his call to all aggrieved members to join hands with him in rebuilding the party.

Sheriff said the visit, which was led by Senator Hope Uzodimma, has dismissed claims by his opponents that he does not enjoy the support of PDP members at the grassroots.

He said: “This party belongs to all of us. After the judgment, the first statement I made was let us come together and rebuild. We are not going to give this party to people who are not members.”

A former Minister of Information, Prof. Walter Ofonagoro, who was part of the delegation, said the people of the state abhors illegality and impunity, hence the decision to identify with Sheriff.

Ofonagoro urged him to reconcile all members of party.Meanwhile, a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted bail to four PDP chiefs who were arrested last Saturday by security agencies during the legislative re-run election in Etche local council area.

The accused persons were the Publicity Secretary of the party, Samuel Nwanosike, Rowland Sekibo, Odiari Princewill and Darlington Orji.They were arrested by security personnels for allegedly mobilising thugs that disrupted the election, but the victims claimed that they were accredited agents of the PDP in the election.

Also arraigned with them by the police were 21 other persons who were arrested for allegedly perpetuating violence during the poll.The party officials and others pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Andrew Jaja, granted bail to the four PDP chiefs on personal recognition, while the others were asked to perfect their bail conditions before being released.

In another development, a chieftain of the party in Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, who was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) recently, has challenged his detention at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

He is asking for N50 million being special, aggravated, punitive and general damages for the violation of his rights. Gbadamosi was arrested by the DSS in Lagos on February 21, 2017, and was immediately taken to Abuja, where he has been in custody since, without access to his family, doctors and lawyers.

The suit was filed by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa. Named as respondents in the suit are the Director, DSS, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.