Police officers have cordoned off the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, a day after violent clashes erupted between two rival factions of the party.
Gatekeepers News reports that during a visit to Wadata Plaza on Wednesday, our correspondent observed that officers had erected a barrier of barbed wire around the premises, preventing entry into the building. Only a few policemen were seen on duty, and none of the leaders from either faction were present.
A chieftain from the faction loyal to Kabiru Turaki condemned the police blockade, insisting that members of the group would not be deterred. He declared that the Turaki-led camp would “come to their office as no one can stop them.”
Clashes at the Secretariat
Tensions escalated on Tuesday when supporters of the opposing factions confronted each other at the PDP headquarters. Security operatives were deployed as Samuel Anyanwu and allies backed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, refused to vacate the premises.
Chaos erupted after Turaki arrived at the secretariat alongside Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and other members of the newly elected PDP National Executive Committee.
Police fired multiple rounds of teargas when Anyanwu’s supporters attempted to block the group from entering.
Turaki later said the restraint shown by his camp prevented serious violence.
“If we had not exercised restraint… there would have been bloodshed here,” he said.
“We have been tear-gassed, and I think more than 50 canisters of tear gas had been shot at us. But we remained relentless and will continue to remain relentless.”
Turaki Declares Himself National Chairman
Following the confrontation, Turaki announced that he had formally assumed office as the PDP’s national chairman.
“For the past seven hours, Nigerians are living witnesses to the struggle we’ve been engaged in with those renegade members of our party that were expelled at our national convention in Ibadan,” he told journalists.
He alleged that the opposing group arrived with “armed thugs” intending to disrupt proceedings.
“Now, we have driven them out of the secretariat… I have assumed leadership as the elected chairman,” he said.
A Deepening Crisis
The clash comes just days after the party’s national convention held in Ibadan from November 15 to 16, 2025. The gathering proceeded amid conflicting court orders — one permitting the convention and another directing the party to halt the process.
During the event, the Turaki-led group expelled Anyanwu, Wike, former Ekiti governor Ayodele Fayose, and others for alleged anti-party activities.
In a retaliatory move, Anyanwu’s faction dismissed the convention as a “jamboree” and an act of illegality, announcing the expulsion of Turaki, Makinde, Mohammed, and their allies.
