Police Seal PDP National Secretariat as Rival Factions Clash in Abuja

Police Seal PDP National Secretariat as Rival Factions Clash in Abuja

The national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja was sealed off on Wednesday following violent clashes between two rival factions of the opposition party a day earlier.

When our correspondent arrived at Wadata Plaza, armed police operatives had mounted a barbed-wire barricade across the main entrance, denying access to staff and visitors. Officers at the scene said the order to shut down the facility came “from above,” though no further clarification was provided.

Attempts to reach the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to her line went unanswered.

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Tuesday’s crisis intensified when supporters of Tanimu Turaki, along with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and members of the newly elected PDP National Executive, arrived at the headquarters. They were confronted by a parallel group loyal to Samuel Anyanwu, aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The confrontation escalated rapidly. Police fired tear gas after members of the Anyanwu faction allegedly attempted to block the Turaki camp from entering the premises. Both sides insist they represent the authentic leadership of the party, fueling a tense standoff ahead of a scheduled meeting.

Addressing journalists after the incident, factional PDP chairman Tanimu Turaki, flanked by Governors Makinde and Mohammed, accused Nyesom Wike of orchestrating the unrest and undermining internal democracy within the party.

“Democracy is under threat. I am calling on all advanced democracies to come and save Nigeria,” Turaki warned, calling for international attention to the deepening crisis within the PDP.

Police Seal PDP National Secretariat as Rival Factions Clash in Abuja