PDP postpones Niger State congress over violence

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Congress in Niger slated for Saturday has been postponed due to violence.

The exercise was suspended after thugs allegedly sponsored by two aspirants for the state chairmanship seats engaged in a free-for-all and forced delegates to scamper to safety.

Some of the delegates told journalists that trouble started when a former Deputy Leader in the House of Representatives, Alhaji Baba Agaie, was manhandled and whisked out of the venue of the congress by heavily armed security men.

The PDP state secretariat in Minna was taken over by supporters of the two aspirants despite heavy security presence in the area.

“Agaie was beaten by some party faithful suspected to be from his own Agaie local government area. The party supporters accused him of sabotaging their collective interest, alleging that he aligned with the former governor and leader of the party, Dr. Babangida Aliyu-led group,” one of the delegates said.

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In the midst of the confusion, members of the electoral committee including its chairman, Mohammed Imam, were whisked away from the venue of the congress by security agents.

The committee later issued a statement and announced the postponement of the exercise.

The statement read: “Due to uncertain security situation at the PDP state secretariat, venue of the rescheduled state congress, slated for today, September 12, the congress has been postponed.”

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