Obasanjo, Daniel’s supporters fight with charms over PDP secretariat

The five-year unresolved crisis of the troubled Peoples Democratic Party, Ogun State chapter, took a dangerous dimension on Wednesday as two factions loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Governor Gbenga Daniel engaged themselves in a public brawl.
Members of both factions used charms and other weapons in a free for all at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Both factions fought over which group will control the party secretariat located along the Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta.
The police and the State Security Services have, as a result of the violence, taken over the secretariat.
The faction loyal to the former president had few months back sacked the Daniel faction from the secretariat and controlled the building.
However, on Wednesday, Daniel’s faction, said to be financed by a multi-millionaire, Buruji Kashamu, stormed the party secretariat armed with a court judgement pronouncing the faction’s executive as the authentic PDP leaders.
The court judgement had been secured even before they were made to leave the secretariat earlier.
Reports said the leaders of the Daniel faction had sought for a meeting with the leaders of the other group at the party secretariat, to present the latter with the court order.
Before the meeting could hold, violence erupted between supporters of both factions
The violence escalated as supporters used charms and other dangerous weapons freely on one another.
A witness said some people fainted and became unconscious after being hit with charms.
The development paralysed activities around the area until the arrival of security operatives who eventually arrested five people.
The state Police Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, had to hurriedly abandon a press conference at the Eleweran Police Headquarters to race to the troubled area.
Okoye
He said his men were at the party secretariat to maintain peace and order, adding that he came around as soon as he heard there was “little problem in the PDP secretariat.”
The police boss, however, assured residents of the state capital not to be disturbed and to continue with their normal activities, promising that the command has dispatched enough men to the area.
Premium Times.