A dramatic standoff unfolded on Tuesday at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, as rival factions battled for control amid a deepening leadership crisis.
The confrontation began at dawn when the faction led by Mohammed Abdulrahman gained early control of the secretariat around 7:30 am, locking out the camp loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, whose group had recently elected Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as National Chairman.
By 11:00 a.m, Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde arrived with supporters to assert their faction’s authority, escorting Turaki toward the complex while the Abdulrahman faction was holding a Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting. Their arrival sparked pandemonium as thugs from both camps surged toward the entrance.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed and newly elected National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, arrived at Wadata Plaza in a convoy and remained seated inside Bala Mohammed’s vehicle due to heightened security tension.
Policemen deployed to the scene fired teargas to disperse the crowd, forcing party members, staff, and journalists to flee. The melee quickly escalated into physical confrontations, with party loyalists engaging in fistfights at the gates.
Earlier, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a key figure in the pro-Wike faction, stormed the secretariat with supporters and addressed journalists.
He mocked the Turaki-led leadership elected at the Ibadan convention over the weekend, insisting his camp remained the authentic PDP leadership.
Anyanwu and his loyalists were preparing to hold their own meeting at the NEC Hall when Makinde, Bala Mohammed and members of the newly inaugurated National Working Committee walked in.
Despite heavy security barricades, Makinde and Bala forced their way into the NEC Hall and addressed journalists.
They announced the postponement of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee meetings to Wednesday due to the volatile situation.
Turaki declared that Anyanwu and his faction were “no longer members of the party” and vowed to safeguard what he called the mandate given to the new NWC.
“They came armed to fight us, but the police stood up to their responsibility,” Turaki said. “Due to incidents instigated by enemies of progress and democracy, we have decided to postpone the inaugural NWC meeting until tomorrow.”
He praised the police for their protection but condemned the use of teargas, calling for international attention to the crisis, which he said threatens Nigeria’s democratic process.
Turaki called on US President Donald Trump and the rest of the international community to “come and save democracy in Nigeria” as rival party factions clashed at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
As the Turaki-led camp prepared to depart, tension spiked when Wike arrived at the party headquarters.
The FCT Minister forced his way through the heavy security presence into the secretariat, prompting Makinde, Bala and Turaki to remain inside the premises instead of leaving.
Security operatives subsequently ordered everyone, including journalists, to vacate the premises due to fears of a breakdown of law and order.
However, the governors and PDP leaders refused to leave unless Wike was also ordered out of the party headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Wike-aligned faction taunted Makinde and Turaki’s supporters for their temporary withdrawal, describing it as a “retreat from battle.”
The standoff underscores deepening divisions within the PDP, with both camps claiming legitimacy. The national secretariat remains under heavy security watch as tensions persist.
Comments
Post a Comment