30th August, 2013
Hundreds of well armed policemen have been deployed around Eagle Square, Abuja the venue of tomorrow’s mini convention of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
P.M.NEWS observed this morning that apart from surrounding Eagle Square itself and the policemen have taken over all areas adjacent to the venue of the convention and are preventing motorists from stopping anywhere near the venue.
This, P.M.NEWS gathered, is in accordance with the assurance of Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar yesterday that the Police Force will provide a water-tight security for the conduct of the National Convention.
The IGP also issued an Operational Order directing the Commissioner of Police, FCT., CP Femi Ogunbayode to ensure a tactical and well coordinated deployment of personnel and other operational equipment in order to provide a safe and conducive atmosphere for the convention.
He also directed the deployment of personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Anti-Bomb Squad and the Police Air Wing for aerial patrol..
In addition, personnel of the Canine section and special operatives of the FIB are to be deployed for the operation.
The AIG Zone 7 was also directed by the IGP to personally take charge of the entire operation, to guarantee a seamless command and control of the exercise.
P.M.NEWS also observed that arrangements for tomorrow’s convention have been concluded with Eagle Square already wearing new look as the venue has been decorated in PDP colours.
Canopies that will house some of the state delegations and the presiding officers have been mounted inside Eagle Square.
Meanwhile, the Wadata House national secretariat of the party has become a beehive of activities as delegates perfect the accreditation that will allow them into the venue of the mini convention.
P.M.NEWS learnt that most delegates, led by their governors are already in Abuja for the convention while candidates are doing last minute lobbying to get elected for the positions that will be contested for tomorrow.
Campaign posters of the candidates vying for the various positions have been strategically pasted in areas adjacent to Wadata House and in some strategic places in Abuja.
The vacant positions in the PDP executive that elections will be conducted into tomorrow include the positions of deputy national chairman, deputy national secretary, national publicity secretary, deputy national secretary, national women leader, deputy national women leader, national youth leader, national legal adviser, national treasurer and deputy national legal adviser.
Yesterday, the Chairman of the special national convention committee Prof Jerry Gana, assured Nigerians of the party’s readiness to hold the convention to elect national officers to fill existing vacancies in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
He also said that election into the office of the national secretary of the party has been deferred until final determination of a subsisting court case on the matter.
The run up to the convention has been marked by intrigues with protests against some of the candidates vying for the various poition at Wadata House
—Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja