Police chase Markafi’s PDP from meeting venue, members finger APC

The planned meeting of members of the Markafi-led faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scheduled for Monday in Abuja, has allegedly been disrupted by men of the Nigerian Police Force.

Originally billed for the International Conference Centre, operatives of the Nigerian Police barricaded the venue and prevented any political meeting from taking place there.

The Markafi faction had said it called the meeting to appraise the Friday judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port-Harcourt, which removed Ahmed Markafi and installed Ali Modu Sheriff as PDP chairman. Expected at the Monday meeting were senior members of the party, majority of whom had the backing of most PDP governors.

However, confronted by the police, and determined to go ahead with the meeting, Markafi’s team resolved to move the venue of the gathering to Ekiti Government Lodge in Asokoro.

Read also: PDP: Sheriff consolidates, consults ex-gov Aliyu , IBB

In a statement issued Monday afternoon by spokesman of the caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye, the group said, “Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in collaboration with the All Progressive Congress (APC) led Federal Government has barricaded the International Conference Center, ICC, venue of the scheduled Stakeholders Meeting of the entire organs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This is a very sad development in our democratic history where there is no longer free association and movement of citizens of this Country.”

The statement warned that, “Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his APC collaborators cannot stop the will of the people,” saying, “Nigerians can now confirm that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is a mole in PDP to destroy the only strong opposition in the country.”

The group, therefore, asked, “All invited members of the Party for the scheduled Stakeholders Meeting…to proceed to the Ekiti State Government Lodge
on T. Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja by same time, 2:00Pm.”

Markafi and his group have given hint that they would appeal the Friday judgment though Sheriff said that he was working to unite all aggrieved members.

As part of his moves to consolidate power, Sheriff visited with ex-governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu and former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida on Sunday in Minna, Niger State.

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now