By Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
What would have resulted into a serious bloodbath was yesterday averted by the Police as it led other security operatives to barricade the Plateau state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) occupied by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party, thereby averting a clash between the faction and that of the Ali Modu Sheriff. The security operatives compris- ing men of the Nigerian Police and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NCDC) took over the secretariat as early as 7:00 am, preventing human and vehicular movement in and out of the of the premises along Yakubu Gowon way, Jos.
It was gathered that the Police got a wind of an impending clash between the two factions as the Sheriff faction planned to forcefully take over the secretariat from the Makarfi group. Meanwhile, the Makarfi faction, which considered the move as illegal, mobilised members to the secretariat for a counter action. On arrival, the state Chairman of the Makarfi-led faction, Honour- able Damishi Sango, was allowed access into the secretariat with his supporters by the Police. Sango, who exonerated Sheriff from the fracas, told his audience that those behind the move by the rival faction in the state were “the power that be in the state.†He said, “There is no basis for any faction on the Plateau, a congress was conducted and winners emerged without any rancour.
I want to believe that some people in the other party are the ones sponsoring this group; their intention is to get our secretariat sealed. And they are doing that because of the forthcoming local government elections; they are not prepared, but we are fully prepared, I want to advise them that sponsoring crisis in PDP will not give them victory.
