Taraba PDP crisis deepens as Police takes over secretariat

The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has reached a new level now that two people are vying for the chairperson position.

As reported by Infostride News, Alhaji Inuwa Bakari, the beleaguered acting chairman, was blocked from taking office by supporters of the former chairman, who was recently dismissed from office by Justice Nuhu Adi of the State High Court.

To review, in a recent judgement, Justice Adi approved all of Bakari’s demands and ordered him to immediately assume office as the party’s acting chairman, telling the other individual, Bawa, to stop presenting himself as the party’s chairman.

Both party leaders are competing for control, and the situation within the party is in disarray. As a result, the party’s state secretariat has been blocked off by the state police command.

The party’s secretariat, which is in the middle of Jalingo city, has been taken over by anti-riot police and civil defence forces, who are armed to the teeth.

Authorities at the state level have confirmed these operations, saying they were required to keep the peace.

According to Abubakar Usman, the command’s spokesman, the police were able to prevent the secretariat from being burned down when protesters from both sides gathered outside.

He further said that until the issue is settled peacefully, Bawa and Inuwa have been told to stop going to the secretariat.

The command further demanded that all party members and sympathisers remain away from the secretariat, threatening dire repercussions for anyone caught inside.

Bawa, the former Special Adviser on Political Matters to the former governor, stated when contacted that he had a judgement from the Federal High Court establishing him as the substantive chairman of the party.

He said he had nothing to do with the turmoil and was confident in the outcome of his case before the highest court in the land.

Bakari, the newly appointed chairman by the State High Court, also spoke and denied Bawa’s assertion, saying that the court did not rule in favour of his opponent.

He continued by saying the court had ruled it did not have jurisdiction over the matter. Bakari has called on his supporters to maintain calm and refrain from any behaviour that could threaten the state’s current state of tranquilly.

Agbu Kefas, governor of the state, appointed Alhaji Idris Waziri, a former ambassador, to oversee a committee to settle the leadership conflict inside the party that was threatening the party’s survival in the state.