From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi
The crisis in the the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Benue State, has deepened further as members of the newly inaugurated State Working Committee, (SWC), of the party were on Friday, locked out of the State party Secretariat when they went there to receive handover notes.
The Secretariat building located at No.1 Ochagu Lawani Street Makurdi, has been the state headquarters of the party for several years.
But on Friday morning, October 4, 2024, when the new party EXCO arrived at the Secretariat to commence routine administrative exercise ahead of the Saturday’s Local Government elections, the Secretariat was locked with no security or anyone in sight to attend to them.
Speaking to the newsmen at the secretariat gate, the State Chairman, Ezekiel Adaji said he would speak with relevant stakeholders and leaders of the party to enable them get an alternative.
He said “You are all away that we did our Congress yesterday, a very peaceful congress, people came from the National secretariat and the election was as peaceful as possible.
“New executives were elected and subsequently inaugurated. So we have come here this morning to resume office, we all know that we have elections tomorrow. We are supposed to be here to monitor our candidates in the various fields but this place is sealed completely and we do not have a place to operate.
“We will go to major critical stakeholders and to our leaders and discuss with them and see how they can provide us with a place to operate.
“We have made efforts to gain access, we have made calls but no security at the gate and nobody to answer us. I also spoke with the caretaker committee secretary and they also said that they got the rumour yesterday that here will be sealed and for our own security reason we should not waste time here.
Adaji, who described PDP leaders as men of proven integrity said he will lead his EXCO to talk to them and ensure they have a place to operate.
He stated the PDP was well prepared for the Saturday LG polls saying “You know that this is a PDP state and so every other party and the man in government house is just a caretaker. We have come to prepared to push him out of Government.”
