Three days after the Nigerian Police invaded the headquarters of the “new” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje, one of the frontline movers of the group, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed D. Abubakar, to instruct his officers to vacate the party headquarters immediately.

The former Vice President, who is currently in China leading a private economic trade mission at the invitation of the Chinese government, interrupted his schedule today to issue a statement declaring the police invasion on the party’s office has no justification in law, but was rather borne out of political control.

The statement personally signed by the Turaki Adamwa reads: “While it is embarrassing that the police have yet to give a reason on why they are laying siege to a political party office, the whole world knows these are acts prompted by unscrupulous politicians who do not even have the moral conscience not to involve the police in politics.”

“This goes to the root of the current crisis within the PDP: priorities. What does it say to our citizens, who live daily with the fear of violence and kidnappings, that our police priority is raiding a political party office?”

“I call on the leadership of the Nigeria Police, especially its Inspector General, to steer clear of political entanglements, and immediately vacate our party offices. Our national law enforcement priority must be the safety and security of Nigerians, not politics.”

Atiku said it is embarrassing that in a week when a top Christian clergy, top lawyer and senior advocate and countless others are being held captive by kidnappers, the Nigeria Police could muster the resources to seal the headquarters of the “new” PDP in negation of a court order.

“Further, a politically partisan police force sets a dangerous precedent, as they will be entrusted to supervise free and fair elections in the future,” he said.

The former Vice President said that by the latest behaviour of the police force, the Inspector-General of Police has put a big question mark over the sincerity of his touted reform the police.

He declared that IG Abubakar has started on the wrong foot by being openly and overzealously partisan over the internal crisis of the PDP.

•Photo shows Atiku.

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