By Umma Muhammad
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Monday after loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, forcefully took over the party’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja.
Members of the National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to National Chairman Umar Damagum, who are backed by PDP governors, were absent when the Wike faction occupied the secretariat, triggering chaos and prompting police intervention.
Sources said governors under the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, are plotting to reclaim the party from Wike’s camp. “The governors will do everything to reclaim the party from those who don’t mean well for it,” a party chieftain told reporters.
Wike’s loyalists installed Abdulrahman Mohammed, the party’s National Vice Chairman (North Central), as Acting National Chairman. Mohammed appealed for calm, urging unity and an end to internal blame games.
The takeover comes amid rising tension ahead of the party’s National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan. Disputes over zonal leadership, control of party structures, and micro-zoning arrangements have deepened the rift between the two factions.
Adding to the turmoil, the Federal High Court in Abuja last Friday restrained the PDP from holding its convention pending compliance with the party’s constitution and electoral laws.
In a series of counter-suspensions, the Damagum-led NWC suspended key members, including National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and three others for alleged anti-party activities. In response, the Mohammed-led faction suspended Damagum, Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, and four others over alleged financial misconduct.
By Monday morning, Wike’s faction, backed by security operatives, had taken full control of the secretariat as both camps continue to lay claim to the party’s leadership.
