Tension boiled over at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja on Tuesday as rival factions loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed on one side, and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on the other, clashed over control of the party headquarters amid an intensifying leadership crisis.
According to ARISE News, security operatives attached to both camps engaged in a heated standoff that escalated into chaos, with teargas reportedly fired around the premises as each faction attempted to assert dominance over the complex.
Governor Makinde arrived at the secretariat in the company of the newly elected National Secretary, Taofeek Arapaja, insisting that the leadership changes announced at the weekend convention stand. Meanwhile, Wike remained within the premises alongside Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary who insists his tenure is valid until December 8, 2025.
The confrontation disrupted activities at the party headquarters as supporters from both factions traded accusations and attempted to force access into key administrative sections of the building.
Senior party stakeholders have expressed deep worry over the altercation, accusing security agencies of failing to maintain neutrality in a dispute that has further exposed widening cracks within the opposition party.
The PDP has been grappling with an escalating internal battle over the legitimacy of recent leadership decisions, with the standoff between the two blocs now raising concerns about the party’s ability to maintain cohesion ahead of future political engagements.
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