Police finally allow Sheriff into PDP secretariat

Ali Modu Sheriff, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was prevented from  “invading” the party’s secretariat to take over its leadership, was finally allowed in.

When he first arrived at the party’s headquarters, Sheriff said that his mission was to “resume officially and takeover”.

However, he was stopped from entering the complex by security agents stationed at the gate, to the disappointment of his supporters, who were armed with placards and were chanting songs of solidarity.

He alighted from his car to address journalists, saying that he remains the national chairman of the party until 2018 based on the ruling of a court that reportedly affirmed his position.

He, thereafter, asked the police officers to vacate the premises, but they did not comply.

After making multiple attempts to enter but was barred from doing so by police officers stationed there, he went to speak with Solomon Arase, inspector-general of police (IGP), on the matter, and was assured that he would be allowed in when his supporters had pulled back.

But when he returned a second time and sought to make his way in, he was stopped by the police again.

He then left the premises, only to return a third time, eventually succeeding.

The current leadership crisis in the PDP started at the party’s May convention in Port Harcourt, where Sheriff announced the cancellation of the exercise.

Despite his announcement, some leaders of the party went ahead with the exercise, setting up a caretaker committee led by Ahmed Makarfi.

Both parties later went to court to get orders against each other’s quest.

Last week, the committee took over the leadership of the party, assigning portfolios to its members.

But Sheriff has maintained that he is still the chairman of the PDP, a stance he demonstrated on Monday by storming the headquarters of the party with a handful of supporters.