PDP Leaders Talk Tough as Youths Take Over Offices in Abuja

Supporters of the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP National Caretaker Committee and their counterparts from the Ali Modu Sheriff’s group on Thursday clashed at the party headquarters in Abuja.

Trouble began when the supporters of the authentic chairman Sheriff, attempted to dislodge the pro-Makarfi protesters from the main gate of the Wadata Plaza national secretariat of the party.

Sheriff described the caretaker members as jokers, saying they have no place in PDP constitution.

A protester believed to be a member of the pro-Makarfi group brandished a cutlass, causing the pro-Sheriff demonstrators to flee the scene. Some youths even went upstairs and lock up all the offices.

Armed with sticks and clubs and other dangerous weapons, the rival groups defied the rains to continue their supremacy battle.

Verbal tirade between the two groups soon degenerated into fisticuffs while various forms of missiles flew in different directions.

When the dust settled, one person was left with a deep cut in his forehead as the pro-Makarfi protesters held their ground.


Thursday’s occupation of the party secretariat came hours after a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees, the PDP governors and the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.

The meeting, which ended at about 1.10am on Thursday, resolved, among other things, to continue ongoing litigation, which members hoped would end Sheriff’s claim to the chairmanship of the party.

Shortly after the meeting, the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, said the party was disturbed by what he called interference in its internal affairs by the government and security agents.

Fayose admitted he was among the governors, who convinced Sheriff to become PDP acting chairman.

Fayose added, “Without doubt, I did not beg him but I supported his coming. And when you act within the ambits of time, the information you have at a given time, I am not someone that will say I did not support Sheriff. But when you want to marry a woman, and on the wedding day, they tell you that the woman has HIV, will you still remain in the marriage? I am out of it.”