Police barricade access to Abuja venue of Turaki-led PDP convention where Jonathan will emerge consensus candidate
By Emma Ogbuehi
All access roads to the “A-Class” event centre in Abuja, venue of the proposed special convention for the ratification of former president Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by members of the party loyal to Tanimu Turaki, have been barricaded by the police.
The police used several of their vans to completely block the two access roads leading off from the Wuse and Maitama axis, into the premises of the event centre.
The blockage deprived access to both PDP members loyal to Turaki and other road users who have nothing to do with the planned convention
The development followed the warning to hotels and event centres in Abuja by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against letting their facilities to “illegal organisations”, saying title documents of defaulting properties will be revoked.
In a statement on Friday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, said land allocations in the FCT are strictly for lawful activities.
“Going forward, title documents of any event centre, hotel or public building that is used for the gathering of illegal organisations will be revoked,” the statement read.
Olayinka said the measure is to strengthen security and support security agencies in sustaining peace in the nation’s capital. He added that usage of public venues will now be “closely monitored” to prevent gatherings capable of disrupting public order.
With the 2027 election season approaching, he urged owners to deal only with INEC-recognised leadership of political parties and keep proper records of transactions.
“Owners of these facilities are therefore urged to take cognisance of the legality of organisations seeking to use their facilities and the purpose before letting them out,” he said.
“Failure to comply with this directive will result in revocation of the title documents of such properties.”
The warning comes a day before a PDP faction loyal to Tanimu Turaki plans to ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its consensus presidential candidate at ‘A’ Class Event Centre, Wuse II, Abuja.
Wike’s faction has already picked Sandy Onor as its candidate.
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