So Serious! Rats, Others Take Over PDP National Secretariat In Abuja

Rodents and weeds have taken over the national secretariat of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The secretariat is still under lock and key over leadership crisis.

On Wednesday it was also observed that the policemen who blocked the entrance to the secretariat since May had vacated the premises.

Unlike before when trucks, which were occupied by riot and regular policemen were stationed in the front of and besides the building, only a few security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were seen at the complex.

One of the officers, who spoke to Punch on the condition of anonymity, said he did not know why the policemen left the area.

However, he said they were under "stern warning to keep vigil at the secretariat to avoid any act that could lead to a breakdown of law and order."

He said, "You can see that we have not opened the road in front of the building to vehicles and movement is also restricted. We are under instruction not to allow anyone access to the building and its environment.

"Thus, either policemen are here or not does not matter. What is important is that the building is secure and we are not going to allow anyone enter it until we get a superior order, asking us to vacate."

In-fighting between factions in PDP had led to the deployment of policemen to guard the building.

A faction loyal to the National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, once engaged loyalists of the National Caretaker Committee of the party led by Ahmed Makarfi at the secretariat in a free-for-all.

Now the compound of the secretariat was littered with weeds and dry leaves from overgrown trees.

Also, the paint of the once-shining walls was peeling off. Observing through two of the barricaded gates, it was observed that rodents were already feasting on some of the books inside the buildings judging by the way some papers were seen under its main doors.

Reacting to the condition of the national secretariat of the party, Sheriff said he was not in a hurry to move into it, adding that the courts would be allowed to make pronouncements on its leadership.