Free-for-all at PDP national secretariat - As loyalists of ex-Gov Nnamani, successor clash

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 04.03.2008

THE national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became a battlefield on Monday when supporters of the former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and those of the state governor, Sullivan Chime, clashed over the state congress held in Enugu last Thursday.

During the clash by the two factions of the PDP which held parallel congresses in Enugu, workers at the secretariat were held hostage for several hours even as business activities at Zone 5 which also hosts the Federal High Court were paralysed.

All the entrances leading to the national secretariat were blocked by the two factions who engaged one another in free for all, causing traffic to build up in the entire area while residents of the area scampered for safety.

The two factions had stormed the PDP secretariat to present the results of the congresses they both conducted and impress it on the officials that the chairman that each had elected was the authentic.

At the centre of the crisis was the outgoing National Secretary of the PDP, Chief Bernard Ezeh, who was alleged to be on the side of the former Governor Nnamani. His faction had elected Mr. Ray Nnaji as the state chairman of the party and other delegates for next Saturday’s contention.

On the other hand, the Enugu State governor and his supporters had elected Mr. Vita Abba as the state chairman at the congress held at the Presidential Hotel in the city.

However, the supporters of the state governor mobilised to the PDP office specifically to protest the alleged attitude of the national officers of the party in recognising the chairman produced by the Nnamani faction.

Both groups had arrived at the PDP secretariat on different buses from Enugu and on arrival, started chanting songs, while they heaped unprintable words at the national officers of the party.

At a point, it appeared that the supporters of the governor of Enugu State gained an upper hand after they swooped on those on the side of the former governor, beating and chasing them away from the PDP office.

In the process, two aides of the National Secretary of the party were beaten up while men of the private security outfit employed to guard the national secretariat were chased away allegedly by Chime’s supporters.

The police mobile unit at the secretariat was caught unawares as the Nnamani supporters, carrying several placards, climbed the fence of the secretariat to gain entry into the premises.

No official of the secretariat including the National Chairman turned up to address the grievances of the protesters, although the party had earlier scheduled a meeting of its National Working Committee for the day.