Police take over PDP secretariat

Uchechukwu Olisah, Benin City - 05.03.2008

Police have taken over the Edo State secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benin City, the state capital, in what looked like the sealing of the party’s headquarters following the deepening of the lingering crisis rocking the party.

The current crisis, which had pitched the supporters of the former chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih against the loyalists of the state governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, was over the occupation of the state party chairmanship.

Each of the two factions had on February 28 during its parallel congresses produced its own chairman of the party in the state. However, while the Osunbor faction said its state executive led by Mr. Edward Sadoh had been issued certificate of return, the Anenih faction’s executive led by Chief Dan Orbih faulted the claim. No fewer than 10 armed policemen from the police mobile unit were seen on Tuesday at the building and the premises of the building housing the secretariat now being occupied by the Sadoh-led executive of the party.

Nigerian Tribune had gathered from the rumour mill that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, had ordered the sealing off of the PDP secretariat in Edo because of the in-fighting which had led to the emergence of two chairmen of the party in the state.
But the Chief of Staff, Edo State Government House, Mr. Isaiah Osifo, said the policemen were at the party’s secretariat to forestall any outbreak of violence or destruction of property on the request of the state government which, he said, had a duty to maintain law and order.