- The PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, was unsealed by police on Monday, allowing the faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to take control and hold its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
- The move follows a March Appeal Court judgment that invalidated the Ibadan convention of the rival Tanimu Turaki-led faction, paving the way for the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee to assert authority.
- The Turaki-led NWC has condemned the police action, labeling the takeover an illegal occupation by “APC apologists” and warning that the move undermines a pending judicial appeal.
The long-running leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a new boiling point on Monday, April 20, 2026, as the faction backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike successfully reclaimed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Wadata Plaza, which had been under police seal since November 2025 following violent clashes between rival groups, was reopened to the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee.
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Video footage captured Minister Wike arriving at the secretariat alongside prominent party figures, including former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, to commence a high-stakes NEC meeting.
The rival faction, led by Tanimu Turaki, reacted with outrage. National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong issued a blistering statement accusing the police of partisanship.
The group alleged that security forces were enabling a takeover by “agents of the Federal Government” despite an ongoing appeal against the High Court ruling that facilitated the reopening.
“By their action, they have tampered with the res, and that can render the judgment of the Court of Appeal nugatory,” Ememobong stated, describing the police intervention as “most shameful.” The Turaki faction maintains that they remain the legitimate leadership until the appellate court provides a final resolution.
The unsealing of the secretariat and the subsequent NEC meeting signal a significant shift in the internal power dynamics of Nigeria’s main opposition party.
With Wike’s faction now operating from the official headquarters, the group is expected to consolidate its grip on party structures ahead of the 2027 general elections, further isolating the rival camp.
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