Fresh tensions have engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike seized control of the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, on Monday, ousting National Chairman Umar Iliya Damagum and installing Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman.
The dramatic takeover unfolded amid escalating internal wrangling, with rival camps clashing over leadership in a wave of suspensions and counter-suspensions. The Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) had earlier suspended National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu and other Wike-aligned officials, prompting a swift retaliation from the Wike faction, which suspended Damagum and his key allies in response.
The day’s chaos began earlier when protesting staff at the PDP headquarters attempted to bar Anyanwu from accessing his office, insisting he step aside pending resolution of the dispute. The standoff escalated, forcing police from the FCT Command to intervene. Officers fired teargas to disperse the crowd blocking the entrance. Damagum was absent from the premises during the incident.
In a bold show of defiance, Mohammed’s group later gained entry into the building. Mohammed himself walked into Damagum’s office, sat in the chairman’s seat, and declared himself Acting National Chairman in a symbolic assertion of control. Security forces, including at least ten Hilux vans from the FCT Police Command, were quickly deployed to secure the facility and prevent further clashes between supporters of the rival factions. While Damagum loyalists gathered outside, police cordons kept the groups apart, averting a larger confrontation.
Just hours before the occupation, Mohammed addressed journalists at the PDP’s FCT office, declaring his acceptance of the acting chairmanship role at the behest of “very critical stakeholders.” He lamented the party’s decline, attributing its woes to “internal wrangling and poor leadership.”
“We are all aware of the current pitiable state of our glorious party because of the actions and inactions of our leaders and members,” Mohammed said. “From being the ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years to being an opposition party for over 10 years now at the national level; from being a formidable opposition to now a humbled one, owing to the unexplainable defections of governors, legislators, and council chairmen, among others.”
Outlining a three-point agenda, Mohammed pledged to “heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation; reposition the party and make it law-abiding; and plan an all-inclusive National Convention and hand over to a properly elected National Working Committee (NWC) after concluding all outstanding congresses at the Zonal, State, Local Government, and Ward levels.” He emphasized returning the PDP “back to her true owners, the Nigerian people,” describing it as “a new dawn” and “a rebirth” for the opposition party.
Mohammed appealed for unity, noting ongoing consultations and plans for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. “I cannot do this seemingly difficult job alone. I will need all your support, prayers, and genuine commitment to join hands in lifting our party upward,” he added.
Following the takeover, Mohammed convened his inaugural meeting at the secretariat, with Anyanwu and other supporters in attendance. The gathering underscored the Wike faction’s consolidation of power, even as Damagum’s camp vowed to resist the move.
The crisis highlights deepening divisions within the PDP, which has struggled with defections and electoral setbacks since losing power in 2015. Party insiders warn that the leadership vacuum could further erode its standing ahead of future polls unless swift reconciliation efforts take hold.
PDP spokespersons from both factions were unavailable for immediate comment, but observers anticipate court interventions or NEC arbitration to resolve the standoff. Police maintain a heavy presence at Wadata Plaza to ensure stability.
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