Dozens of policemen were stationed at the secretariat in Yola at the weekend to protect party officials and forestall breakdown of law and order.
Police spokeswoman, Altine Daniel, confirmed to Sunday Trust yesterday that the police were deployed to protect party officials following complaints to the state police command.
The party is embroiled in crisis that led to the removal of the state chairman, Alhaji Abdurrahman Bobboi, and his deputy, Alhaji Yunusa Dantakarda, over alleged breach of Articles 23 (5) and 26 (v) of the party’s constitution.
Members of the state working committee said Bobboi in particular had lost his post after taking appointment in a government controlled by the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. He is a special adviser to Governor Murtala Nyako.
But Bobboi rejected his removal, insisting that his joining of the PDP government at the state level was not different from serving under the unity government arrangement at the national level.
He went to Abuja last week and returned with a letter purported to be from the national secretary of the party, Senator Saidu Kumo, urging the state police commissioner to recognise him as the chairman.
However, members of the working committee dismissed the letter as a fabrication and insisted that his removal from the post was irreversible.
The interim chairman of the party in the state, Ibrahim Miyanda, said “the purported letter was illegal as the national secretariat of the party is not aware of it.”
He said Senator Kumo who himself had to “forfeit a post of special adviser to the president in favour of his post in the party would not have encouraged and perpetuated illegality in Adamawa state”.
Similarly, the Yola North chairman of the party, Alhaji Sale Abdu Maizuma, dismissed the letter as a fabrication and insisted that the working committee’s decision to remove Bobboi was final.
“It is a constitutional matter in our party; you can’t hold a post in a rival government and retain your post in the party. It is illegal and Bobboi remains removed from his post,” he said.
Later both sides complained to the police on alleged threats to both the secretariat and their personal safety.
While Bobboi complained of alleged threat to his life, Sale Maizuma, complained of alleged attempt by thugs to attack the secretariat of the party.
In response to the complaints, dozens of policemen were deployed at the secretariat at the weekend. Supporters of the interim leaders of the party remain in full control of the party, as Bobboi is reported to have travelled to Abuja to seek further intervention.
