The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a fresh turn, as the faction led by Kabiru Turaki has rejected the recent unsealing of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force.
The police on Saturday reopened the PDP headquarters at Wadata Plaza in Wuse Zone 5, as well as its annex, Legacy House in Maitama, and handed both facilities over to a rival faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed. That group is believed to be backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Confirming the development, the faction’s spokesman, Jungudo Mohammed, said the action was in compliance with a court order, adding that the move reflected respect for due process and the rule of law.
The crisis dates back to November 2025, when the police sealed the secretariat following violent clashes between rival PDP factions, each attempting to hold separate National Executive Committee meetings at the same venue. The situation escalated, forcing security operatives to intervene.
Subsequently, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Wike-backed faction, nullifying the leadership that emerged from a separate convention in Ibadan and directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise it. INEC has since acknowledged the Abuja-based faction as the legitimate leadership of the party.
However, the Turaki-led group has strongly condemned the police action, describing it as unlawful and biased. In a statement issued by its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, the faction accused the police of enabling what it called a forceful takeover of the party’s headquarters.
Ememobong argued that the court ruling cited by the police is still under appeal, warning that unsealing the secretariat at this stage could undermine ongoing legal proceedings.
He further accused the police of acting in a partisan manner throughout the crisis, alleging that their actions have consistently favoured the Wike-backed faction.
Despite the tension, the Turaki-led camp urged its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, while it continues to seek legal redress.
Meanwhile, the rival faction has called on party members to embrace unity, insisting that the latest development signals the end of the PDP’s prolonged leadership crisis.
With both sides standing firm, the dispute appears far from over, as legal battles and political manoeuvres continue to shape the future of one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties.
