IG orders tight security as PDP convention holds

ALL is set for tomorrow’s Special Convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday, assured Nigerians and participants that Police would provide water-tight security for the exercise holding at the Eagle Square, Central Area, Abuja.

The Professor Jerry Gana-led convention committee, which suspended the election for the national secretary because of a pending court case, also announced its readiness to mid-wife a credible and rancour-free exercise and rallied support for the PDP.

The committee also restated the party’s stand on zoning of the vacant slots to states that held them before the occupiers were asked to step down recently.

All the candidates will face the Senator Ndoma Egba-led screening panel today and those with grievances are expected to take their appeal to the Governor Theodore Orji-led appeal panel tomorrow before the convention will kick-off.

This is coming as an aspirant to the national publicity secretary post dragged PDP; its National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; and immediate past publicity scribe, Chief Olisa Metuh, to court over the zoning of the post to Anambra.

Tight security, traffic diversion

To ensure adequate security, safe and conducive atmosphere for the convention, the IGP has issued an Operational Order directing the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Mr. Femi Ogunbayode, to ensure a tactical and well-coordinated deployment of personnel and other operational equipment.

The IG, in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, also directed the deployment of personnel of the Police Mobile Force, PMF, Counter-Terrorist Unit, CTU, Anti-Bomb Squad and the Police Air Wing for aerial patrol.

It said: “In addition, personnel of the Canine section and special operatives of the FIB are to be deployed for the operation.

File photo: Police officers

“The AIG Zone 7 has been directed to personally take charge of the entire operation, to guarantee a seamless command and control of the exercise.”

Meanwhile, the Police informed motorists in Abuja that all routes leading to Eagle Square would be barricaded and traffic diverted with effect from 4.00pm today.

Traffic will be diverted to the following routes: Ahmed Bello Way Fly-over, Benue Plaza Road, Ministry of Finance Junction, Bullet Junction, Bayelsa House Junction and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fly-over.

It said: “In view of this development, all commuters, motorists and the general public are strongly advised to utilise alternate routes, during the duration of the convention.

“Affected routes will be re-opened to traffic and the public as soon as the convention activities are over.”

Abubakar solicited the understanding and cooperation of the general public in assisting the Police and other security agencies in ensuring a peaceful, safe and secure convention, as part of conscious efforts by all citizens to nurture democracy and national growth.

He advised people, who are not part of the convention, to avoid the venue of the exercise as “Police operatives have been instructed to restrain all intruders or trespassers, irrespective of status or placement.”

Zoning stands

Ahead of the convention, Professor Gana said, yesterday, that election of National Secretary would remain suspended until the determination of a subsisting court case on the matter.

According to Gana, the party would conduct election into the office of National Secretary as soon as the case was concluded in line with the directives of the court judgment, adding that aspirants that purchased forms to contest for the office will have their purchase fees refunded accordingly.

Addressing journalists yesterday on the readiness of the party to hold the convention tomorrow, Professor Gana said 14 sub-committees on security, accommodation, transport and logistics, among others, were set up to ensure a seamless exercise.

Ekweremadu said that the zoning arrangement where the states had the positions prior to the resignation, remains, adding that the party had earlier fixed the positions for geo-political zones and subsequently zoned them to states and that the status quo stands.

Raises appeal panel

Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President and Secretary of the committee, Senator Ike Ekweremadu said, yesterday, that an appeal committee for those that might be disqualified today by the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba screening committee will have the opportunity of appealing tomorrow to the Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji -led Appeal Panel.

The panel has Minister of State, FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide and Tafidan as members. The appeals, if any, would be entertained before the convention begins.

Also, yesterday, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the publicity sub-committee of the national convention of PDP,  Emeka Ihedioha, expressed optimism that tomorrow’s convention would be very successful and called on all stakeholders, officials and members of PDP to rally round one another to give the party full support and ensure a hitch-free convention.

Aspirant drags party, Tukur, Metuh, others to court

A chieftain of PDP in Anambra State, Chief Akwugo Iloanya, has prayed an Anambra High Court to restrain Metuh from contesting the position of publicity secretary at tomorrow’s convention.

Also joined in the suit as defendants are Bamanga Tukur, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd.) and the South-East Zonal Executive of the party, Jerry Gana and PDP.

Iloanya and Victor Ishiwu, in the originating summons, are seeking a declaration of the court that the post of National Publicity Secretary of PDP is zoned to Anambra State to the exclusion of any other state.

They said this was by virtue of the zoning arrangement ratified by the National Executive Committee, NEC, and the zonal executive committee (South-East) of the party, which was allegedly acknowledged by the report of the 2012 National Congress and Convention planning committee.

They are also seeking a declaration that by an agreement between the executive and members of PDP in Anambra State, the post of National Publicity Secretary of the party is zoned to Anambra North and Central Senatorial districts to the exclusion of Anambra South senatorial district.

The plaintiffs are further seeking for a declaration that the 3rd defendant (Olisa Metuh), who is from Anambra South senatorial district, is not qualified to contest the post of National Publicity Secretary of PDP in tomorrow’s special national convention in Abuja or any other applicable day.

… against Metuh

In their prayers, the plaintiffs are seeking an order of the court restraining Olisa Metuh from presenting, contesting or putting himself forward as a candidate for the post of National Publicity Secretary of PDP at the special convention.

They are praying for an order of the court restraining the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th defendants (PDP, Bamanga Tukur, Austin Akobundu and Jerry Gana, respectively) from accepting the nomination of Metuh to be fielded as a candidate for the post of the National Publicity Secretary of PDP at the convention.

In a 25-point affidavit in support of the originating summons, Chief Iloanya, who is one of the aspirants for the post of National Publicity Secretary, said: “In the spirit and letters of zoning principles as contained in Peoples Democratic Party constitution and guidelines and in order to ensure fair play and equity in the distribution of party posts, members of Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State agreed that the post of National Publicity Secretary to be contested at the national convention of the party be zoned to Anambra North and Central districts to the exclusion of Anambra South Senatorial district.

“The violation of this agreement, the guidelines and constitution of the party and INEC’s own observation at the March 2012 convention of Peoples Democratic Party led to the voiding of the election of the 3rd defendant by INEC at the convention.”