Crisis Deepens as Wike’s Camp Seizes PDP National Secretariat

The struggle for control within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a new level on Monday in Abuja after loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, took over the party’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in the absence of governors elected under the party’s platform.

Members of the National Working Committee loyal to the PDP governors, led by National Chairman Umar Damagum, were not present when the Wike-backed faction assumed control of the building. The development caused confusion among staff, forcing the police to seal off the premises to prevent further clashes.

Abdulrahman Mohammed, supported by Wike’s camp, arrived at the secretariat and declared himself Acting National Chairman. He called for calm and urged members to work together to restore peace and unity within the party. Mohammed pledged to reorganize the PDP, conduct pending congresses, and hand over to a duly elected National Working Committee after a new national convention.

The leadership tussle followed last week’s interim court order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, which halted the PDP’s planned national convention in Ibadan. The ruling came after three aggrieved members sued the party over alleged constitutional breaches.

The crisis has now created two opposing groups—one led by Damagum and the other by Mohammed—each claiming authority over the party’s national leadership. Over the weekend, both camps suspended key officials, accusing one another of misconduct, incompetence, and financial mismanagement.

Earlier in the day, Wike’s loyalists gathered at the party’s FCT office before proceeding to the national secretariat, where they gained entry under tight security. Tension grew when staff loyal to Damagum attempted to eject suspended officials, leading to a brief scuffle that left some workers injured.

After the confrontation, Mohammed addressed the press, declaring control of the national headquarters and urging members to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections. He vowed to lead a leadership committed to restoring the PDP’s lost strength and ensuring internal harmony.

Following the takeover, police officers ordered everyone to leave the secretariat and sealed it off.

Meanwhile, former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Bode George, accused Justice James Omotosho of worsening the crisis by granting the order that stopped the Ibadan convention. George called for a judicial probe into the judge’s conduct and alleged that Wike was behind the ongoing internal conflict for personal political interests.

Attempts to reach key figures in both factions, including Damagum and Wike’s loyalists, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not returned. The PDP remains divided as both sides continue to claim control of its leadership and national structures.