By Henry Umoru

ABUJA — MEMBERS of the National Working Committee, NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, staff, party members and visitors were, yesterday, locked out of the Wadata Plaza, National Secretariat of the party by aspirants from Rivers State, who were disqualified from participating in last Saturday’s state House of Assembly  primaries.

The aspirants, who came in company of their supporters  blocked the entrance to the party’s secretariat, halting vehicular and  human movement to adjoining buildings, as they protested against the immediate past Minister of State, Education and a Rivers State gubernatorial aspirant ahead of PDP December 8 governorship primaries for the 2015 elections.

The protesters arrived with two coffins placed strategically on Dalaba Street, off Michael Okpara Way, Zone 5 with the poster of the  Wike on it at 7a.m.

They came with weapons such as  guns, knives, and bottles as ways of conveying their grievances, just as there  was no entry and exit for officials of the party, thereby stopping both administrative and political activities at the secretariat.

Cleaners and party staff who were in their offices before the protesters came, were sent outside while those who came later were not allowed in.

The protesters  who came under the aegis Coalition of Rivers State PDP House of Assembly and National Assembly Aspirants, also put up a canopy with chairs in front of the secretariat as well as food and drinks  until their grievances were addressed. They insisted that they had been marginalised and were ready to stay till justice was done.

The protesters in a position paper by 31 aspirants raised five point demands which include  that the, “ NWC issue clearance certificate to all cadres of aspirants forthwith; Cancel/ disregard the purported delegates list compiled by Nyesom Wike, Eche Secondus and the two man PDP Rivers State executive of Obuah and Walter in conjunction with  their civil servants cronies, among others.”

The National Vice Chairman, South South , Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh who arrived the scene at  1:53p.m., addressed them as well as Journalists, assuring the aspirants that their grievances will  be addressed.

Also, the National Women Leader of the party, Kema Chikwe, who arrived the party secretariat at :56p.m., was turned back by the protesters, who insisted on speaking with the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Muazu.

At press  time, the  were still at the party secretariat.

Speaking further, Ojuogboh who noted that the party will not hesitate to invite elders of the party if that would  lead to resolving the pending crisis, said “I was called here because of my position in the party. I have spoken with them and they gave me 24 hours to make further consultations and come back to address them because the party must function, this is not the period to disrupt the activities of the party. I will make further consultation and we will come here to address the gentlemen.

“We feel the party is a very disciplined party, the party listens to everybody and Mr. President is desirous of peace and conducting a free congress and the person’s who are protesting, I have appealed to them and spoken to them that the party will listen to them and nobody under my watch will be oppressed. I hate oppression and nobody under my watch will be allowed to be oppressed. So, the party will listen to their petition and I am sure lasting solution will be provided, so that the party can begin to function. Something will be done to address them and the issue they are raising.

“At the governorship level, some persons were disqualified and those that were disqualified went to the appeal panel because I was a member of the panel but only one person who did not have certificate was still disqualified.

“What they are saying now is that those who were screened were not given certificate either to qualify or disqualify them and now that the zone and party is aware of it, the party will look into it and where there is iota of truth in what they are saying, it will be addressed.

“I will speak to them as soon as I have further details and I assure them that solutions will be provided. You can see that the people were not rude. I am sure the issues involved would be trashed out. If need be, we will bring other elderly people to come and address the issues.”