Presidency moves to contend the opposition ... Seals Baraje Groups Office

Barring last minute pressure to restore order and peace in the self acclaimed largest political party in Africa, the presidency may have just woken up to contend various oppositions within the party. To this end, the Abubakar Baraje-led PDP ‘s office has been sealed by the police

in Abuja, capital of Nigeria. A detachment of armed policemen has sealed up the secretariat of the new faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.
The office building located at Plot 320, off Onyi River Crescent, Maitama, was opened by the Kawu Baraje-led new PDP that broke away last week during the special convention of the party. An Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) and police Hilux vehicles were stationed around the building to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the building. The leadership of the breakaway faction of the party last week told the media that the office of the new PDP would open but refused to give details on the date and the location of the office for security reasons. But this afternoon the secretariat with the inscription New Peoples Democratic Party was covered, ready for launch, when policemen invaded the area. All the access roads leading to the building were cordoned off by the security operatives in uniform and mufti.

 Earlier this week, Bamagda Tukur, the chairman of the PDP warned that he was fully in charge and threatened to declare the seats of those that joined the new PDP vacant. “We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions,” he said.

But a statement by the National Secretary of the faction, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said security forces were mobilized to seal off the office based on a non-existent court injunction which the Tukur faction claimed to have obtained on Friday.

"The whole world knows that Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday refused to grant Alhaji Bamanga Tukur's application for an ex parte injunction against our party's executive.  The Judge asked parties to maintain the status quo. His judgement was a reinforcement of an early order of the Lagos High Court which also asked parties to maintain the status quo. Now, should Nigerians conclude that Tukur's interpretation of status quo is this crude display of naked power and undisguised impunity?” he asked.
He said his group was not at all surprised at the latest occurrence in view of the fact that Tukur issued a statement on Friday evening deliberately seeking to mislead the media and the public that Justice Chukwu granted him an injunction against us.
“We are happy that the ever vigilant Nigerian press ignored him and his falsehood,” the statement continued.  “Now, he is not only wilfully disobeying the various courts which have made pronouncements on this matter, he is spicing up his love for impunity with this reckless misuse of state power by misleading the police.”
The group called for an immediate removal of the siege on its secretariat, and for the Inspector General of police to order the immediate removal of his men from the premises as that will serve the interest of justice, rule of law and democracy.
Nigeria, the statement underlined, is a country ruled by law and not by might and force.
"We hasten to say that if this move is aimed at breaking our spirit, that goal is definitely off the mark,” the statement further said.  “We are determined to rescue our party from the lawlessness and crass arrogance that have defined the character of the Tukur leadership since inception. Our party needs that deliverance; its members deserve the change we have brought into it.”
The statement wondered why Tukur, who appeared before the party's elders on Friday ostensibly in search of peace, could, in less than 12 hours later, start another round of acts of impunity.