Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have sealed off the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza in Abuja, a dramatic move following a violent physical confrontation between two rival factions within the main opposition party on Tuesday.
The police lockdown on Wednesday comes in direct response to a chaotic scene that unfolded a day prior, where supporters of opposing camps clashed violently, leading to security operatives firing teargas to disperse the crowd.
The incident marks a significant escalation in the internal crisis plaguing the party.
The conflict is between a faction led by Saminu Turaki, the newly elected National Chairman from last Saturday’s convention in Ibadan, and another bloc loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The confrontation turned particularly severe, with reports indicating that Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State were caught in the crossfire and teargassed during the melee.
The root of the clash lies in the parallel meetings both factions attempted to hold at the secretariat. The Turaki-led group, convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, ratified the expulsion of several high-profile figures aligned with Wike. Those expelled include Governors Makinde, Mohammed, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, alongside party elders like former BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara and Chief Bode George.
This decision is a countermove to the Ibadan convention, which was convened by the anti-Wike faction and saw the suspension of Nyesom Wike and ten other key figures for alleged anti-party activities.
With the party’s national headquarters now under police seal, the PDP is facing one of the most severe internal crises in its history, raising questions about its stability and cohesion as a leading opposition force in Nigeria.
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