The internal leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn following the reopening of its national secretariat in Abuja, reigniting tensions between rival factions.
The secretariat was originally sealed in November last year after a violent confrontation between two opposing groups within the party. One faction is led by Tanimu Turaki, while the other is headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, both of whom have laid claim to the party’s leadership.
Developments in the legal arena further complicated the situation. In March, an Appeal Court ruling invalidated the Ibadan convention that had produced the Turaki-led National Working Committee. The Mohammed-led faction, which is reportedly supported by Nyesom Wike, relied on that judgment to organise its own convention in Abuja.
A meeting scheduled to take place is expected to draw members of the party’s National Executive Committee aligned with the Mohammed-led faction. Among those anticipated to attend are Bukola Saraki and Okezie Ikpeazu, alongside other key figures.
Following the recent reopening of the secretariat by the police, the Turaki-led National Working Committee strongly criticised the development, accusing security agencies of facilitating what it described as an illegal takeover of the party’s headquarters.
According to the faction, security operatives “unsealed the National Secretariat of our party and aided its takeover and occupation by the agents of the Federal Government and APC apologists, masquerading as PDP members, despite a pending appeal.”
The party further argued that the police action could interfere with ongoing judicial processes, particularly as the case is still under appeal.
“By their action, they have tampered with the res, and that can render the judgment of the Court of Appeal nugatory, when it is eventually given,” a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said, describing the development as “most shameful.”
The faction also accused the police of bias, expressing disappointment in the leadership of the force and raising concerns about partisanship.
