Security agents at Government House PH this morning, Wednesday August 17

Army, Police , DSS, in the early hours of Wednesday, sealed off the Sharks Stadium, venue of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, convention in Port Harcourt. The security agents stood strategically in various entry and exit routes to the stadium.

The security agents chased away officials of the party and television crews and declared that they were obeying Justice Okon Abang’s order that stopped the convention.

The security agents, numbering over 500, came with armoured personnel carriers, grenade launchers and other sophisticated weapons.

They also dislodged television crews already positioned to beam the PDP National Convention live.

As at press time, it was learnt that the organs of the PDP were meeting at a hotel in Port Harcourt to decide the next line of action.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, in a judgement on Tuesday, ruled that Police and DSS should provide security for the national convention. The court also declared that its judgment of 4th July, 2016 validating the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party remains valid and subsisting until vacated by the Court of Appeal.

However, Justice Okon Abang gave a ruling yesterday evening in Abuja stopping the convention. Lawyers emphasized that a ruling is less effective than a judgment.

The Presidency it was learnt specifically directed Security agencies to obey Abang’s order.
To prevent a likely breakdown of law and order, and to respect the court’s ruling, the security agencies have been compelled by law to seal -off the convention ground in Port Harcourt.

However Deji Lamikanra, SAN, condemned the action of the Police, accusing them of taking sides. He said this on Channels Tv Sunrise programme this morning as monitored in Port Harcourt.

The much-planned national convention of the PDP may, therefore, not hold as scheduled.

Also armed policemen have made passage to the Government House, Port Harcourt impossible, as armoured personnel carriers have sealed off the place.

Meanwhile, top PDP leaders are locked in various major hotels and Government House planning the next line of action.

Unconfirmed reports have that the the party may head for Court of Appeal.

Raymond Dokpesi, Olabode George, Uche Secondus and Jimi Agbaje have all been screened for the post of National Chairman.

The post of National Chairman of the party had been zoned South West. Dokpesi however insisted that just like Governor Nyesom Wike who threw away the zoning arrangement in Rivers State and emerged as governor, he is also exercising his political rights.