By: Sunday Oyewole
The Abubakar Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the sealing of the Adamawa Governor’s Lodge in Abuja by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed as an attack on the people and government of Adamawa state.
On Saturday evening, FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed ordered the sealing of Adamawa Governor’s Lodge located in Maitama district, citing abuse of master plan.
He also accused the Governor of Adamawa of turning the Lodge into a party secretariat.
But, the new PDP in its reaction on Sunday posited that the Minister had by his action demonstrated his lack of understanding about the status of a Governor’s lodge in the capital city.
The splinter group of the ruling party therefore, gave the FCT Minister 48 hours ultimatum within which to unseal the Lodge and to also apologise to the Government and people of Adamawa state, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, National Publicity Secretary of the new PDP stated in a statement on Sunday.
“The sealing off of the Adamawa Governor’s Lodge by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, only demonstrates his lack of understanding about the status of a Governor’s Lodge. What the minister has brazenly done is to indirectly attack the people and Government of Adamawa State in his desperation to impress the PDP tin god, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“This unwarranted and rash action by Senator Mohammed can be equated with the recent attack against the Nigerian Embassy in Bissau by the Guinea-Bissau authorities, which sparked outrage and for which that country’s government swiftly apologized.
“We advise the misguided minister to within 48 hours not only apologize to the people and Government of Adamawa State but also to unseal the Lodge, which serves as out temporary National Secretariat following the sealing of our National Secretariat by the police. The Government of Adamawa State has not committed any offence by allowing us to use the Lodge as contact office.
“Minister Mohammed is usurping powers that do not belong to him. His unjustifiable action is yet another evidence of impunity by some overzealous people in government intent on blackmailing President Goodluck Jonathan and portraying him as draconian and undemocratic President
“Such people must be stopped forthwith! We, therefore, appeal to Mr. President not only to call Senator Mohammed to order but also sanction him accordingly for portraying Jonathan’s government as lawless, evil and anti-people.
“Finally, we urge our members and supporters neither to worry nor be demoralized by the rascality of the Tukur faction as we are ever ready to ensure that undemocratic elements will not near the leadership of our party anymore.
“We are on course and by the grace of God we shall surely come out victorious for the greatness of our party and growth of democracy in Nigeria,” the statement reads.
