By Dapo Akinrefon

Lagos—Violence yesterday broke out at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Lagos State, which led to the seal-off of the secretariat.

Vanguard gathered that fight broke out when a faction loyal to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff led by Mr Segun Adewale invaded the PDP secretariat situated around Shogunle bus-stop.

In an effort to resist Adewale, who was alleged to have led thugs to the party secretariat, the other faction led by Mr Moshood Salvador engaged Adewale in a free for all.

The pandemonium led to the two factions shooting sporadically and using matchetes on each other, which led to some members to sustain  injuries in the fracas.

In a bid to douse the situation, police officers were drafted to the scene leading to the sealing of the party secretariat.

Efforts to get across to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Lagos State Command, Dolapo Opeyemi Badmos proved abortive as her phones were switched off.

I’m a peace loving person –  Adewale

Speaking to Vanguard, the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff factional chairman of the party, Mr Segun Adewale absolved his supporters of any wrongdoing.

Adewale said; “We had a meeting at the party secretariat, our meeting started from 8 am. In the course of our meeting, the Bode George faction disrupted our meeting and started shooting and even matcheted some of our people. As a result of that, I had to call off the meeting. That was what happened.”

Denying the claim that he led  thugs to the party secretariat, Adewale said; “So my people were the ones who shot and matcheted themselves? Is it possible to unleash mayhem on ourselves? They are presently at the hospital, I have photographs and pictorial evidence to back up my claim.”

Adewale has no claim to Lagos PDP — Apena

Meantime, the Vice Chairman of the party, Mr Ola Apena said; “I heard of what happened. I was told that Segun Adewale came to the PDP secretariat with thugs to disrupt the secretariat. We were to have a general assembly today (yesterday), it was a successful one. I was even standing in for the state chairman of the party. I did not witness what they said happened but I was told and I want to believe what they said because that is very consistent with the personality of Segun Adewale. He believes in violence and he believes in moving about with thugs.

On Adewale’s claim that he remains the chairman of the party in Lagos State, Apena said; “There is nothing to claim because the PDP is one family and we do not have two PDP. We have only one party recognised by law and that party is under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the caretaker chairman. As a founding member of this party, I belong to the establishment of my party lineage. I think we should ask Segun Adewale, which of the PDP he belongs to because the only authentic PDP is under my party. There is a court pronouncement that confirms it, I don’t know which party he is.”