Fresh tension erupted at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Monday following the dramatic arrival of Mohammed Abdulrahman, who announced himself as the party’s Acting National Chairman.
Gatekeepers News reports that Abdulrahman, accompanied by key officials including the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, declared that he had formally assumed office, pledging to reconcile aggrieved members and restore unity to the opposition party.
Speaking with journalists shortly after taking charge, Abdulrahman unveiled a three-point agenda aimed at reconciling factions, restoring discipline and relevance, and organising an all-inclusive National Convention to elect a substantive National Working Committee (NWC) after completing pending congresses across all levels.
“My job here as Acting National Chairman is simple: heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation; reposition the party and make it law-abiding; and plan an all-inclusive National Convention to elect a properly constituted NWC after completing the outstanding congresses at the zonal, state, local government, and ward levels,” he said.
Abdulrahman explained that his decision to assume leadership followed consultations with “very critical stakeholders,” citing concerns over the PDP’s dwindling influence, which he attributed to poor leadership and internal discord under the outgoing National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum.
“We are all aware of the pitiable state of our great party due to the actions and inactions of some leaders and members. From being Nigeria’s ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years, we have become an opposition party for over a decade, weakened by defections of governors, legislators, and council chairmen,” he lamented.
He promised to return the PDP to its founding ideals and rebuild confidence among members.
“We will hand this beloved party back to her true owners — the Nigerian people,” he declared. “But I cannot do this job alone. I need your support, prayers, and genuine commitment to lift our party upward.”
Abdulrahman also hinted that consultations were ongoing and that a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting would soon be convened to deliberate on the party’s next steps.
However, moments before his arrival, tension had gripped the PDP Secretariat as staff members reportedly attempted to protest the sudden leadership change. Security operatives were said to have fired tear gas to disperse the agitated workers, who blocked the entrance to the National Secretary’s office, insisting that Senator Anyanwu, earlier suspended by the Damagum-led NWC, should not be allowed entry.
The confrontation occurred in the absence of Damagum, who was reportedly away from the premises at the time. Abdulrahman and his team later gained access to the complex, proceeded to the Chairman’s office, and symbolically took over before addressing the press.
Following the takeover, the PDP Secretariat was locked down amid reports that Damagum and his loyalists, who had planned a separate meeting later in the day, were unable to access the facility.
As of press time, neither Damagum nor members of his camp had been seen at the Secretariat, leaving uncertainty over whether they had relinquished control to the Abdulrahman-led faction.
Political observers say the development highlights the deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, which continues to grapple with internal rifts, regional power struggles, and waning confidence ahead of future elections.
