Crisis on Tuesday erupted at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat, as the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) and that of factional acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, clashed.
The factional acting chairman, Mohammed is backed by the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.
The situation degenerated when Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, the PDP Governors Forum Chairman, and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State arrived at the party secretariat.
Mohammed and Makinde had arrived at the party secretariat about 10:45 am, but the main gates of the secretariat were padlocked, prompting them to access the premises of the party, leaving their motorcades behind.
Wike later arrived the party secretariat about 11:15 a.m., and was blocked by the governors’ motorcade already in front of the party secretariat trying to gain access to the premises.
However, the minister was able to gain access to the premises when security operatives started firing teargas to disperse party members and others including journalists, and political thugs already within the secretariat.
Ishiaku Sharu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), FCT command, later came and ordered Mohammed and his group to leave the party secretariat premises.
Mohammed, however, said that they would only leave if Wike and every other person also leave, but went back inside the NWC hall when they were told a meeting was ongoing in the hall.
At the time of filling this report the governors and others are still within the premises of the party, while Wike was yet to come out of his car park in front of the building.
The Bala-led faction of PDP had on Saturday at the Ibadan convention expelled Wike and some others from the party.
The newly elected National Chairman of PDP, Kabiru Turaki, sought police protection following conflicting party meetings scheduled to hold at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja on Tuesday.
Turaki told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja after visiting the FCT Police Command Headquarters that the new leadership of the party was poised to take possession of the headquarters.
The Turaki-led NWC, elected at Ibadan national convention, had scheduled its inaugural meeting with party stakeholders at 10am at the Wadata Plaza, PDP national secretariat.
Also the Muhammed Abdulrahman-led faction of NWC has summoned an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) and its Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings for 11am and 2pm respective, at the same venue.
The faction is loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Turaki said that as law abiding citizens, his team had gone to inform the CP of Police, FCT, of the planned inaugural NWC meeting with stakeholders.
He told newsmen that all the party stakeholders and organs, including the governors, BoT members and founding fathers were already invited.
He, however, said that the party leadership had seen meeting notice issued by the embattled PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, noting that Anyanwu and his group were no longer PDP member.
According to Turaki, the national convention decision over rides every other decision taken by any organ of a party.
“Our national convention has taken a decision to expel these elements from the party. So, they are no longer members of our party.
“We have reported the moves they are making to the police.
“We don’t want any situation where there will be breach of peace. As leaders, more than any other person, we want peace to be sustained.
“This democracy that our leaders, our forefathers, have sacrificed their lives to bring about to this level, we shall be ready to also give our own life to sustain this democracy,” he said.
Turaki said that he would be leading the party leaders, members and stakeholders to reopen the party secretariat which had been under lock since November 3.
“We are holding the meeting in our national secretariat, which is the Wadata House and anybody that is sitting there without our consent and permission is an interloper.
“We have not sought for the assistance of the police or any other security agencies to lock up our offices.
“Now, we are going there, we’ll have the offices opened; we’ll get in there, and then begin to perform the functions for which we’ve been elected.
“I have assured the Commissioner of Police of the FCT that while we will ensure that no breach of the peace of course,” said.
He said there would be at the secretariat prepared to defend themselves and their integrity as Nigerians.
“Let me reiterate again for avoidance of doubt, we will be there to defend our party, to defend this nascent democracy; we are prepared to lay down our lives,” he said.
The PDP secretariat had been under lock and key, following the emergence of factions within the party’s National Working Committee.
Before then, the PDP faction loyal to Wike took over the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The take-over of the party’s secretariat was ahead of the parallel meeting reportedly scheduled for the same venue by the faction that held its national convention in Ibadan at the weekend.
The Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) elected at Ibadan controversial national convention had scheduled its inaugural meeting with party stakeholders at 10 a.m. at the PDP national secretariat.
Also the Abdulrahman-led faction of NWC had summoned an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings for 11a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively at the same venue.
The factional National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, was already at the secretariat building, which was before now under lock and key.
Armed security operatives were also deployed to the party secretariat.
The operatives, comprising personnel of the Mobile Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Department of State Services (DSS), were stationed at the entrance gates of the party and other strategic locations within the party premises and environs.
There were also security patrol vehicles stationed along the roads leading to the party secretariat, aimed at forestalling any breakdown of law and order, as the PDP factions lay claim to offices within the premises.
While the suspended National Secretary of the party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, had already gained access to the party secretariat, with accreditation ongoing ahead of their 103 NEC meeting in progress, the Turaki faction had yet to arrive.
Also the anti-Turaki protesters were seen carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as: “No to Turaki” and “Turaki must go,” dancing to the music provided by a team of drummers.
Speaking with newsmen before the BoT meeting, Anyanwu described the security deployment at the party secretariat as routine security arrangements whenever the party was holding its BoT or NEC meeting.
“Anytime we’re having a BoT meeting or NEC meeting, we usually invite the security because of the people who are around, so they don’t embarrass our members.
“So, usually we write to all the security agencies for them to give us security to protect the office. That’s why you see the police here. It’s not the first time.
“Well, first of all, I wrote to all the security agencies on the 14th of November, 2025 that we are going to have a BoT at NEC meeting, the largest NEC meeting here.
“I wrote to INEC as well, which they have managed, and they have been on the news, and they have put it on television and newspapers.
“I’m the National Secretary of the party. My office is still running until December 8. So, undoubtedly, I’m doing my function.
“I want the BoT acting chairman who is here, who have members of board of trustees, who are here, who have come for their meeting.
“You can see there’s no problem. So if we start our meeting and they come here to disrupt our meeting, they become intruders, because we’re already here.
“I don’t see anybody sensible enough to come and disrupt a meeting that’s going on. If anybody wants to meet, they can meet anywhere. It’s allowed, but we’re here,” Anyanwu said.
Reacting to his suspension from the party at the Ibadan convention, Anyanwu said that all the names mentioned were never expelled.
“On what premise are you expelling us? What platform are you using to expel us? The convention that never held?
“Every communication to INEC for any congress/ convention, I must sign it. I never communicated any letter to INEC for any convention. So, there was no convention. As a matter of fact, there was no convention anywhere.
“It’s very clear that any convention must be monitored, supervised by INEC. These things were not done,” he said.
Anyanwu also said that two-thirds of the states’ delegates were not at the convention.
“Even the 17 states they said came for that jamboree, we had people who were picked by the road sides and given PDP uniforms to occupy some state podiums,” he said.
