Leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State have raised the alarm following the takeover of their state secretariat by armed policemen.
The party accused Governor Ben Ayade of the state, who defected from to the All Progressives Congress (APC), of using the police to forcefully hand over the secretariat to his new party.
Armed policemen on Saturday took over the party’s secretariat.
PDP stakeholders protested the action of the governor, saying he has not only trespassed but has carried his “impunity too far by desecrating the property.”
A former governor of the state, Liyel Imoke and Senator Gershom Bassey condemned the invasion of the party’s secretariat.
The owner of the property being used by the PDP as its secretariat, Ene Lawrence, has also raised the alarm over police invasion of the property, saying he has no tenancy agreement with Governor Ben Ayade or the APC.
In a statement, he noted, “There’s no tenancy agreement between myself and Ayade or the APC that confers the latter the right to the property.
“The PDP is still the legal tenant of the property at 42a Murtala Mohammed Way, till September 21, 2021, and nobody or party can take possession of the property before their tenancy.
“It is the landlord that affects eviction and not a new tenant.’’
But when contacted, police spokesman in the state, Irene Ugbo, said men of the force were stationed at the secretariat to curtail attempts by some individuals and group from disrupting the renovation work going on at the building on No 142 (a), along the Muritala Mohammed Highway, Calabar.
Reacting, the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ayade, Linus Obogo said, “The governor is too learned and polished for such a commando-style of operation. He is a lawyer and knows the legal implications of forcibly taking over a property.
“He believes that it was the handiwork of “overzealousness of few party personnel.”
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