November 18, (THEWILL) — There was palpable tension on Tuesday at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, as attempts by rival factions to hold parallel meetings triggered chaos and a heavy security response.
The crisis stems from the recently re-elected National Working Committee (NWC) in Ibadan, Oyo State, and a counter-faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, both of which had scheduled separate meetings for the day.
Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the pro-Wike faction, arrived at the Wadata Plaza headquarters early on Tuesday with key loyalists. Moments later, members of a faction aligned with the newly elected chairman, Taminu Turaki, also arrived but were denied entry by security personnel stationed at the gate.
Tension boiled over when two governors sympathetic to the Turaki faction forced their way into the premises. As other members attempted to follow, police operatives intervened, firing gunshots into the air and releasing teargas to disperse the crowd.
The gunshots and thick clouds of teargas sent party members, staff, and bystanders scrambling for safety. Journalists covering the unfolding events were also forced to retreat, disrupting media coverage and creating further confusion around the secretariat.
Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike later arrived at the secretariat ahead of an emergency meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT), convened by Anyanwu’s faction.
According to the factional leadership chaired by Abdulrahman Mohammed, the BoT meeting was scheduled for 11 a.m., while the NEC would follow at 2 p.m. at the same venue. The group described the sessions as mandatory, stressing that “crucial matters” concerning the party’s future would be discussed.
As of press time, security has been tightened around the secretariat, with the possibility of further confrontation remaining high.
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