The leadership crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Thursday, prompting officers of the state police command to barricade the party’s secretariat.

As two camps claimed the leadership of the party in the state, armed officers barricaded the party’s secretariat, and positioned a patrol van in front of it, thereby preventing access and movement around the complex.

Recall that a Rivers state high court had nullified the congresses conducted by the PDP in the state in 2024, restraining the state executive committee (SEC) of the PDP from overseeing the affairs of the party.

The congresses, which were conducted in the 319 wards and 23 LGAs in August 2024, were organized by the PDP faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The court, presided by Justice Stephen Jumbo also stopped Aaron Chukwuemeka from parading himself as the chairman while delivering a ruling on an interlocutory injunction filed by Edwin Woko and Love Otuonye (both lawyers) and two other PDP members.

In the suit instituted against Chukwuemeka and nine others, the petitioners had prayed the court to declare the local government and ward congresses of 2024 as null and void.

The petitioners had argued that the congresses were conducted even though there was a court order that had been issued preventing the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from holding the congresses.