The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has plunged deeper into internal conflict as the faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, seized control of the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja. The move comes ahead of parallel meetings scheduled by rival factions of the party, escalating tensions within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the takeover occurred just before the faction led by Taminu Turaki, elected during the controversial Ibadan national convention, was set to hold its inaugural National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at 10 a.m. The Turaki faction had invited party stakeholders to the secretariat for the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Abdulrahman-led faction of the NWC, aligned with Wike, had already summoned emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, at the same venue. Reports confirm that the factional National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, was present at the secretariat, which had previously been under lock and key.
Security at the party headquarters was visibly heightened, with personnel from the Mobile Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) stationed at strategic points around the premises. Patrol vehicles were deployed along roads leading to the secretariat, aiming to prevent any potential breach of law and order amid the rivalry between the factions.
Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the suspended National Secretary of the party, was already inside the secretariat, overseeing accreditation for the ongoing NEC meeting. Anyanwu described the heavy security presence as a routine measure whenever the party conducts BoT or NEC meetings, emphasizing it is meant to safeguard members and the office.
“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,” Anyanwu told journalists. “I wrote to all the security agencies on the 14th of November, 2025, that we are going to have a BoT and the largest NEC meeting here. I also wrote to INEC, which has been informed publicly. I’m still the National Secretary of the party until December 8, and my office remains functional.”
Anyanwu criticized the Ibadan convention that led to his suspension, asserting that it was neither properly communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor legitimately attended by the required delegates. “On what premise are you expelling us? What platform are you using to expel us? The convention never held. Two-thirds of the states’ delegates were not present, and many attendees were picked randomly and given PDP uniforms to fill state podiums,” he said.
Outside the secretariat, protesters opposing the Turaki faction carried placards reading “No to Turaki” and “Turaki must go,” while drummers provided a festive, though tense, atmosphere. Despite the drama, Anyanwu maintained that any disruption attempts by the Turaki faction would be considered intrusion, stressing that the Wike-aligned faction was legitimately holding its meetings.
The confrontation at Wadata Plaza underscores the growing factionalism within the PDP, raising concerns over the party’s ability to maintain unity ahead of upcoming political contests. As both factions lay claim to the party’s leadership and premises, the coming days may prove critical in determining which group consolidates control over Nigeria’s oldest opposition party.
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