.Turaki-led exco regains Wadata Plaza amid Wike’s group expulsion
By Caleb Ishaya, Abuja
National Secretariat
of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Wadata Plaza, Abuja, was in turmoil yesterday as the two factions of the party struggled to gain control the party .
Recall that the party at its National Convention held weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, expelled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, its suspended National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.
Crisis, however broke out yesterday after the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, and it’s new National Chairman, Sen. Taminu Turaki-led executive arrived at the secretariat for the party’s new National Working Committee first executive inaugural meeting scheduled for 10: am yesterday.
Meanwhile, supporters of the FCT Minister’s and Senator Anyanwu’s faction attempted to block their entry, triggering clashes that drew in policemen, who fired teargas to disperse both supporters and protesters.
Recall that the faction of the party backed by Wike, had earlier announced that an emergency meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee would hold on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
According to a notice issued on Monday by the suspended factional National Secretary, Sen Anyanwu, both meetings were slated to take place at the NEC Hall of the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
Meanwhile, the faction loyal to Oyo State Governor, Engr Makinde and the Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed, also fixed the party’s new NWC inaugural meeting for the same venue and date, but a different time which further heightened concerns over possible confrontation between loyalists of the two factions.
However, the factional National Executive Committee ,NEC, loyal to Wike, led by Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, yesterday at their emergency NEC and BOT meeting purportedly expelled Makinde, Bala Mohammed, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, from the party.
The faction also expelled Turaki, Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara and Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja.
Also expelled, according to the group, are the Chairman, Caretaker Committee for South-South, Emmanuel Ogidi and others for alleged anti-party activities.
The embattled National Secretary of the party, Anyanwu, said this while presenting the communique of the controversial 103 National Executive Committee ,NEC, meeting held by the faction at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that the factional NEC ratified the expulsion of the affected members.
He said they they were expelled over alleged disregard for court judgements, an action he said put the party in disrepute.
Anyanwu said that the NEC expressed deep concern over the actions of some members who violated subsisting court orders by organising and attending a purported and unauthorized convention.
This act, according to him, triggered confusion, factionalisation, and the defection of governors and legislators nationwide.
“NEC received the report of the acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, detailing breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct bringing the Party into disrepute.
“NEC approved the commencement of disciplinary procedures against the following; Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, and Setonji Koshoedo.
“Others include Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel and Emmanuel Enorden.
“NEC further resolved that Chief Ali Odefa must refund all salaries and allowances collected after his expulsion on 12 December 2024. These actions are taken to preserve order and discipline within the Party”, he said.
Anyanwu said that the NEC also ratified the dissolution of party State Executive Councils of Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, Edo, and Ekiti.
He said that the NEC directed the NWC to constitute caretaker committees and begin fresh congresses immediately while it recognised the Edo exco led by Nosa Ogieva.
“NEC directed Deputies in all National Working Committee positions now vacant owing to expulsion to assume the substantive positions in acting capacity and function as NWC members.
“NEC also formally ratified the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
“NEC directed the legal team and NWC to commence immediate constitutional action to recover seats of all elected officials who defected from the PDP, in line with Sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution,” he said.
Anyanwu added that the NEC also approved a party-wide reconciliation initiative to heal divisions and rebuild trust, while ensuring that reconciliation did not undermine discipline.
He also disclosed that a nationwide membership audit and revalidation would begin ahead of the 2027 elections.
“NEC acknowledged the anxieties among members but assures the Party faithful that these decisions are aimed at stabilising and strengthening the PDP.
“The NEC affirms that the era of indiscipline is over. The PDP will not bow to lawlessness or personal ambition.
“With unity, discipline, and renewed purpose, the PDP will rebuild stronger and restore public confidence ahead of the next electoral cycle,” he said.
Earlier in their opening remarks, the BoT Chairman, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa and Abdulrahman urged the party members to remain steadfast, expressing confidence that the PDP will surmount its problems.
We’re determined to protect Nigeria’s democracy – Bala Mohammed
Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Gov. Bala Mohammed, has expressed the determination of the party leadership to protect Nigeria’s democracy, even at the expense of their lives.
Mohammed stated this while speaking with newsmen during the clash between two PDP factions at the national secretariat in Abuja.
“We are not just here to cause trouble; this is our own place and some imposters who have been expelled by the convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of the party, came to cause commotion.
“You can see the minister of FCT coming in person, being backed by the police.
“We are surprised because at the point when the police allowed us in, our chairman praised them for impartiality. But here we are here, to sit and see what will happen.
“We have been molested in spite of our immunity in time and whatever that we have, as leaders in our own right, with our chairman.
“We don’t want to cause trouble to anybody. Yes, we are in the opposition. We should be allowed to survive,” he said.
The Bauchi State Governor alleged that PDP was being destroyed by people from within the party, maintaining that relevant laws had been invoked to get them out.
“We are here to inaugurate our independence, and we don’t know what is happening. We are not going anywhere, even if they will kill us, we are not going anywhere.
“We oblige our chairman’s invitation, maybe you will hear more from him. But certainly we are pushing it. But this thing is getting out of hands. Enough is enough”, Mohammed said.
Also speaking, the new PDP National Chairman, Taminu Turaki, said they were determined to protect their mandate and the country’s democracy.
“We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, to protect our mandate,” he said.
Turaki said that his team had visited the FCT Commissioner of Police to inform him of their new NWC meeting when they heard that the other faction was also planning a meeting at the same venue.
He quoted the commissioner of police as promising to protect them.
Turaki expressed surprise that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who, according to him, had been expelled by the party, was granted access to the party secretariat’s premises.
Speaking before the crisis erupted, the suspended National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, described the security deployment to the party secretariat as a routine arrangement whenever the party was holding its NEC or BoT meeting.
“You can see there’s no problem. So if we start our meeting and they come here to disrupt our meeting, they become intruders because we’re already here.
“I don’t see anybody sensible enough to come and disrupt a meeting that’s ongoing. If anybody wants to meet, they can meet anywhere. It’s allowed, but we’re here”, he said.
Anyanwu insisted that he remained the party’s national secretary until Dec. 8, adding that any of the party’s correspondence to INEC must be signed by him.
While maintaining that there was no national convention in Ibadan, he said that two-thirds of the states’ delegates were not at the purported convention.
“On what premise are you expelling us? What platform are you using to expel us? The convention that never held?
“Every communication to INEC for any congress/ convention, I must sign it. I never communicated any letter to INEC for any convention. So, there was no convention. As a matter of fact, there was no convention anywhere.
“It’s very clear that any convention must be monitored, supervised by INEC. These things were not done”, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, reports that as at the time of filling this report, the two warring factions were still at the party secretariat, while firing of teargas by security agencies continued.
…Turaki regains control of PDP secretariat
Meanwhile, supporters of Turaki finally gained control of the party’s National Secretariat, after the restoration of normalcy, and Tanimu Turaki assumed office at the party’s Wadata Plaza National Secretariat.
Turaki was in company of Governors Mohammed and Makinde, to resume duty at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5 ,Abuja .
CNPP Condemns Police Role In PDP Crisis, Warns Against ‘Weaponizing’ State Security
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties ,CNPP, has, however, condemned the violence that erupted at the PDP National Secretariat, noting that the emerging pattern of using the Nigeria Police Force as an instrument for settling political disputes, is not in the interest of the nation’s democracy.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, “The troubling spectacle of police officers taking sides in an internal party quarrel is a gross violation of democratic norms and a dangerous abuse of state power”.
It therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately halt this disturbing trend and ensure that the police are not weaponised for political advantage under any guise.
“As the Commander-in-Chief, the President has a constitutional responsibility to guarantee the neutrality and professionalism of all security agencies. Anything short of this endangers the nation’s democratic architecture and erodes public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We also warn politicians within the opposition PDP to desist from actions capable of threatening national stability or undermining the integrity of the political process.
“Internal disagreements must be resolved through established party mechanisms, not through crude displays of force or state-backed intimidation. No political actor has the right to drag public institutions into partisan conflicts”, it quoted.
AljazirahNigeria observed that the Anyanwu-led faction was supported by four NWC members while Makinde group are backed by 15 NWC members and over 30 States party chairmenn
