A faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Barr. Kabir Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has said the reopening of the party’s national secretariat, popularly called ‘Wadata Plaza’ in Abuja, was still a subject of litigation.
The factional national publicity secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, who stated this in a statement on Friday against the backdrop of the Wike-backed national caretaker committee’s move to open and use the closed secretariat, said the party has written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the pending cases on the premises.
Recall that the national secretary of the caretaker committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, had said they were ready to take over and use Wadata House as their office.
The national headquarters building was closed last year by the Police after the warring camps clashed at the premises. The closure of the premises has since been a matter of litigation.
But, following the ruling of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, which annulled the PDP national convention which produced the Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, and the Wike-backed caretaker committee getting recognition of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at a meeting on Thursday, the issue of the headquarters building has reignited the long battle for the control of the party.
However, reacting to Anyanwu’s claim, Ememobong said in the statement that, “We have been notified of the intention of some expelled members of our party to either forcibly or in connivance with security forces gain access to and occupy our National Secretariat and other party property.
“In response to this, we have written to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command reminding them that the secretariat is still a res before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the Court of Appeal.
“To this end, any attempt to enter and occupy these property will be a resort to self-help and an affront to the time-tested principle of law that parties who have submitted to the jurisdiction of courts should not act in ways that will render nugatory, the powers of the Court.
“In this particular instance, the case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members, they cannot resort to self-help, until judgment is delivered in the matter.
“This statement serves to remind all the dramatis personae, especially the Police Force, which is a party on record in the said matter, that any action taken to grant access to anybody, pending the determination of the suit, is a contempt of the court.”
He added that they will deploy all legal means to defend their property from trespass.
“Responsibility for any injury to persons or damage to property arising therefrom should be placed solely on the aggressors and their security collaborators,” he said.
