Ini Ememobong, factional national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the chaos at the party’s headquarters in Wadata Plaza on Tuesday was “shameful” and “a pity”.
The PDP secretariat was the theatre of chaos as rival
factions battled for control of the complex.
Ememobong, who was elected at the party’s national
convention in Ibadan, spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s
Politics Today on Tuesday.
He said the events showed how Nigeria’s democratic culture
has deteriorated.
“It’s very shameful and a pity that this is happening after
six election cycles,” he said.
“Democratic consolidation should be firm and democratic
norms should be valued. Sadly, every election cycle seems to be getting worse.”
He questioned the intent behind the parallel meeting held by
the Nyesom Wike faction.
“Is that a NEC meeting? Every NEC meeting must be monitored
by INEC,” he said.
He accused a minority within the party of attempting to
overrun established structures.
“In a democracy, the majority will have their way and the
minority will have their say, but what you have now is a minority trying to
impose its will on the majority,” he said.
‘PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED’
He also warned that the clash placed many party faithful at
risk.
“Today, people could have been killed,” he said.
“The canisters were shot directly at people; many elderly
people have comorbidities, some have asthma, some are hypertensive.
“When it gets to the point where it looks as though all the
ruling party wants is blood to water democracy, what the chairman is saying is
that if it means our blood watering it, then so be it.
“It looks like until blood falls, the president does not
understand.
“This happened less than 400 metres from where the president
is; an opposition party is being stifled.”
The spokesperson said political actors must address the
crisis within legal frameworks to avoid what he described as “electoral
authoritarianism”.
Ememobong also reacted to the series of court rulings linked
to the party’s internal dispute.
“No court has jurisdiction over internal affairs of the
party,” he said.
“But if a court assumes jurisdiction, we respect the court.
“Two federal high courts assumed jurisdiction and gave
judgments.
“It is now the duty of the court of appeal to sit on appeal
over those judgments.
“The supreme court will then give final clarity, and all of
this will enrich our jurisprudence.”
BACKGROUND
Violence erupted at Wadata Plaza on Tuesday as security
agents fired teargas to break up supporters of rival factions.
Supporters of Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary of the Wike
bloc, blocked the arrival of governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, who
arrived with the Turaki-aligned group.
Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
stayed inside his vehicle for more than 30 minutes during the standoff.
Anyanwu insisted he remained national secretary and said he
invited security operatives to deal with “intruders”.
After hours of confrontation, Kabiru Turaki announced that
he had assumed control of the complex as national chairman.
A pro-Wike NEC later expelled Makinde, Mohammed, Dauda
Lawal, Bode George, Adolphus Wabara and Turaki, and dissolved six state working
committees.
The move followed the Ibadan convention where 11 members —
including Wike, Ayo Fayose and Anyanwu — were expelled.
Anyanwu later accused PDP governors of worsening the crisis
but maintained that the party was not dead.
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