Tension escalated on Monday at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wadata Plaza, Abuja, as supporters of the factional acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, stormed the premises in a move to assert control of the party’s leadership structure.
The protesters, chanting solidarity songs and displaying party flags, demanded that the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Umar Damagum immediately vacate the headquarters. They accused the Damagum-led leadership of mismanaging party affairs and undermining internal democracy.
The development comes days after Abdulrahman was announced as acting national chairman following the suspension of the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, for one month over alleged misconduct — a move that further deepened the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP.
In a parallel move earlier, a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, convened a separate meeting in Abuja where it declared the Damagum-led NWC suspended, signaling a widening rift in the party leadership.
Security operatives swiftly mobilized to the secretariat to maintain order as tensions rose between the two opposing factions.
Despite the standoff, the Abdulrahman faction successfully gained access to the National Chairman’s office. Addressing journalists from the office, Abdulrahman vowed to restore unity and reposition the party ahead of future electoral contests.
“We are ready to work in the interest of our dear party,” he said.
“Our focus is to bring the PDP back to its founding principles and ensure it remains a strong opposition capable of winning elections.”
The Damagum-led NWC has not yet issued an official reaction to the takeover at the time of this report.
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