The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was thrown into fresh turmoil on Tuesday as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, took control of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, effectively shutting out the rival camp aligned with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
Led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, the Wike-backed group arrived at the secretariat at about 9:35 a.m., asserting its authority ahead of the scheduled meetings of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Executive Committee (NEC). The faction is reportedly moving to install Mohammed as the new national chairman of the party.
The takeover was heavily reinforced by police officers who secured all major entry points and strategic areas around the building, preventing access by members of the opposing faction.
The Makinde-aligned group, which elected former Minister Kabiru Turaki as national chairman during a recent convention in Ibadan, was unable to enter the secretariat despite requesting police protection for their planned National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.
Speaking after a meeting with the FCT Police Commissioner, Miller Dantawaye, Turaki expressed concern over the escalating leadership crisis, describing it as a critical moment for the survival and unity of the PDP. He vowed that his faction remains committed to defending the party’s integrity.
As of Tuesday morning, no member of the Turaki-led NWC had been able to access the national secretariat, deepening uncertainty over the party’s leadership structure and raising fresh questions about internal cohesion within the PDP.