‘We’ll resist intimidation,’ says Turaki-led PDP

The Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, has declared that it will oppose any attempts to intimidate the party.

The committee stated that such intimidation would not deter the PDP from nominating former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

National Publicity Secretary Mr. Ini Ememobong made the remarks in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Ememobong said the committee had been informed by the owners of A Class Event Centre that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had threatened to shut down the venue if the PDP were allowed to use it for its candidate ratification ceremony.

He alleged that Wike had warned the centre that it would be closed if the PDP used its hall for the event.

“We state here, and for the record, that we had furnished consideration in full to consummate the earlier offer and acceptance,” Ememobong said. “Furthermore, we had duly notified all relevant security agencies about the event. We have directed our lawyers to write, reminding A Class Event Centre of these facts.”

“Having satisfied these requirements, we reiterate that the special convention to ratify the presidential candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan will hold as scheduled on Saturday, May 30, at A Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, by 10 a.m.,” he added.

Ememobong described the minister’s directive as an attempt to use force to suppress political dissent and opposition.

He said that no law empowers the FCT Minister to determine which events may be held and where they may take place.

“Such limitless powers are strange to a democratic republic,” he said.

Ememobong invited party leaders from the states, National Executive Committee members, and other PDP stakeholders to attend the event as scheduled.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had earlier warned owners of hotels, event centres and other public facilities in Abuja against allowing their premises to be used by illegal organisations, stating that property titles of offenders risk revocation.

The warning, issued on Friday in a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the statement, the directive is part of efforts to strengthen security in the nation’s capital and support ongoing operations by security agencies to safeguard lives and property.

The FCTA specifically drew attention to the ongoing political season and advised hotel and event centre operators to deal only with leaderships of political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“For instance, in this political season, owners of event centres and hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with INEC‑recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement added. (NAN)

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