A major protest broke out on Monday at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, following an attempt by the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to take over the party’s secretariat.
Supporters of Mohammed Abdulrahman, who was recently announced as the factional acting National Chairman, stormed the PDP’s Wadata Plaza headquarters, chanting solidarity songs and demanding that the current National Working Committee (NWC), led by Umar Damagum, vacate the building immediately.
The development marks a new phase in the PDP’s deepening leadership crisis. Last week, Abdulrahman’s emergence as acting chairman coincided with the one-month suspension of the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, a move that further split the party’s hierarchy.
In a parallel meeting held elsewhere in Abuja, the Wike-backed group had announced the suspension of the Damagum-led NWC, accusing it of incompetence and mismanagement of party affairs.
On Monday, protesters gathered at the secretariat vowed to reclaim the party’s headquarters for the Abdulrahman-led faction, insisting that the current leadership had “lost control” of the PDP’s direction.
Security operatives were deployed to Wadata Plaza to prevent clashes and maintain order as tensions rose between the rival groups.
Amid the chaos, the Abdulrahman faction successfully gained access to the National Chairman’s office. Speaking to journalists from the office, Abdulrahman pledged to restore unity within the PDP and reposition it for future elections.
“We are ready to work in the interest of our great party. Our focus is on reconciliation, progress, and victory,” he said.
Abdulrahman added that his leadership would prioritise rebuilding trust and strengthening internal democracy within the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
