A violent confrontation erupted at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, pitting supporters of Minister of FCT Nyesom Wike against those backing Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Taminu Turaki, the newly elected PDP chairman.
The clash, which led to police intervention, has further deepened the rift within the party.
Turaki condemned the violence, saying, “The party is facing an assault that threatens its survival and the nation’s democracy. We have come under attack from security operatives who used force against members trying to access the headquarters.
“Some PDP members who attempted to attend the meeting were shot by the police, showing how far institutions have deteriorated.”
However, suspended National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu justified the security presence, stating, “The security deployment is routine, done to ensure our Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee meetings are protected.
“We want to avoid any disruption.” Anyanwu, who gained access to the secretariat, insisted, “I’m the National Secretary, and my office is still running until December 8. I’m doing my job”.
Gov. Makinde, a supporter of Turaki, was among those tear-gassed by police as tensions escalated.
He had arrived at the secretariat with Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed and Turaki but were denied access by security operatives loyal to Wike.
Makinde later condemned the violence, saying, “We were met with aggression, but we will not be deterred”.
Turaki accused Wike of orchestrating the attack, saying, “Can you see that the Minister of FCT (Wike) has been granted access – a person that has been expelled?
“Some of our governors have been teargassed; some of our members who came to attend a lawful meeting were teargassed.”
He appealed to the international community for intervention, warning, “Democracy in Nigeria is under severe threat. I call on President Trump and the international community to come and save democracy in Nigeria”.
The dispute centres on the Ibadan convention, where Turaki secured the chairmanship—a result that Wike’s faction has vehemently rejected, contesting the legitimacy of the entire proceedings.
The crisis has intensified, as several governors have since distanced themselves from the Ibadan convention’s outcomes.
Persecondnews reports that the conflict turned violent when rival supporters clashed physically, brandishing cudgels and various objects.
Police intervened by deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd, catching politicians and journalists in the crossfire.
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