POLICE VS PDP

 

The National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party billed to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday suffered a major setback as hundreds of security operatives, mainly policemen, sealed of the Sharks Stadium, venue of the convention.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Donald Awunah, said that the policemen stormed the venue of the convention around 4am on Wednesday.

He disclosed this during a programme on Channels Television titled, ‘Sunrise Daily’.

Awunah said the primary responsibility of the police was to protect life and prevent crisis.

 He added that due to the tension surrounding the convention and the conflicting court rulings, the police thought it best to seal off the venue.

He said, “The warring parties need to follow due process to end their crisis through the courts and as a law enforcement agency what do you do? You ensure that there is a superior court order.

 It is not about taking sides.

“If in the next one hour or two, we get another court order, we will take action. We are there for every Nigerian but when you are the first responder, you have to take action, you have to be proactive.”

It was gathered that policemen and operatives of the Counter Terrorism Unit blocked the major entrance to the stadium located on Hospital Road in Port Harcourt with an Armoured Personnel Carrier.

The development caused gridlock on some major roads in the Rivers State capital.

Civil servants, businessmen and artisans were stranded on the road as at 9.30 am, some who could no longer bear the long wait in the traffic trekked to their offices and other destinations.

Some journalists who were close to the main gate of the Sharks Stadium could not take photographs after one of the security operatives cautioned them against taking any shot.

The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday was confused on whether to monitor or stay away from Wednesday’s national convention of the PDP.

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday had insisted that the PDP must stop its planned national convention.

The judge gave a stern warning to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahood Yakubu, not to monitor the convention.

The judge also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to enforce the court’s order.

Justice Abang’s order is contrary to another order by Justice Ibrahim Watila of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court, directing the IGP to monitor the convention.