Board of Trustees takes over PDP secretariat from police

I’m still chairman, Sheriff tells court

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ‎has taken over the Wadata Plaza national secretariat of the party.

The police occupied the secretariat on May 22, when there were fears that the party crisis could produce violence that may lead to the destruction of the Wadata Plaza property.

BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, who addressed workers at the secretariat yesterday said the board approached the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to be allowed to take back the secretariat because it is the only legal body of the party now that has not been encumbered by any court order.

‎He explained that the sealing off of the national secretariat by men of the Nigeria Police Force was to protect and safeguard the party’s property.

“We the BoT have been asked under the constitution of the party to be in charge of the assets and the liabilities of the PDP generally.

“It is in that respect that the Inspector General of Police, having considered the importance of our constitution and having considered the importance of the staff of the PDP headquarters here, that this place be opened and not only be opened but is entrusted in the hand of the BoT,” Jubrin further said:

“Nobody has taken the BoT to court.‎ Today the BoT remains the only legal body now in the whole set up and that is why we are here to play our role.

“We are here to perform our duty according to PDP constitution, hoping that our problems will soon be resolved,” he said.

As if to give a lie to the BoT chairman’s claim, ousted chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has told the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that he remains the party’s chairman.

He described the “Caretaker Committee” headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi as a group of “usurpers” and a “contraption” that was set up in defiance of valid court orders.

According to certified court processes made available to reporters yesterday in Lagos through his counsel, Ajibola Oluyede, Sheriff is praying the court to hold that only he can preside over a convention or meeting where party leaders could be chosen.

Sheriff and Oladipo, in a motion on notice dated May 27, said those who sued them in PDP’s name lack “the authority and locus” to institute the suit on the party’s behalf.