PDP Factions Brace For Showdown In Abuja

A major confrontation is expected today at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Abuja.

All signs indicate an impending clash between the newly elected national leadership, headed by Alhaji Taminu Turaki, and the faction led by Muhammed Abdulrahman.

Both groups have announced high-level meetings scheduled for today at the Wadata Plaza national secretariat.

The Abdulrahman faction, believed to be aligned with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, fixed emergency meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) for today, while the Turaki-led group plans to hold its inaugural meeting.

Both meetings are expected to take place at the same venue at nearly the same time.

Turaki met with the FCT Commissioner of Police yesterday, accompanied by several senior party figures.

He stated that his team was ready to confront anyone attempting to disrupt their gathering.

Turaki insisted that members of the opposing group were “no longer members of the PDP,” maintaining that their expulsion during the Ibadan convention remains valid.

He stated that the newly elected NWC was prepared to “lay down their lives” to protect the party’s mandate and Nigeria’s democracy.

He explained that, according to the party’s earlier timetable, the outgoing leadership was expected to hand over between December 1 and December 8, as the Damagum-led tenure officially ends on December 8.

He told journalists: “We came to interface with the Commissioner of Police regarding our meeting tomorrow. We are holding our inaugural National Working Committee meeting of the PDP.

“At this meeting, we have invited our stakeholders, founding fathers, governors, National Assembly members, Board of Trustees members, state chairmen and other critical stakeholders.

“As law-abiding citizens, we came to notify the police ahead of the meeting. This is our first gathering since the Ibadan national convention.”

Turaki dismissed the parallel NEC and BoT notices issued by the Anyanwu faction, stressing that those responsible had been expelled.

“Next to God in the management of a political party is the National Convention. Its decision overrides all others. Our National Convention has made a decision to expel these elements. They are no longer members of our party,” he said.

He added that the police had been alerted to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

“This democracy that our forefathers sacrificed their lives for, we are ready to also give our lives to sustain it,” Turaki declared.

He said the new leadership would enter the national secretariat today, with or without police assistance.

“Anybody occupying our offices without our consent is an interloper.

“We will go there, open the offices and begin to perform the functions for which we were elected,” he said.

Turaki further explained that the Commissioner of Police had assured them of adequate protection.

“We shall be there at 10 a.m. I will lead from the front. We expect the police to provide the protection we are entitled to under the law.”

The notice issued by the Abdulrahman faction, signed by the “expelled” National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, stated that the BoT meeting would take place at 11 a.m., while the NEC meeting would hold at 2 p.m., both at Wadata Plaza.

The Ibadan convention, during which Wike, Anyanwu and others were expelled, was conducted despite conflicting court orders regarding its legality.

On 11 October, Justice James Omotosho ordered that the status quo be maintained in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, filed by Austine Nwachukwu (PDP Chairman in Imo State); Amah Abraham Nnanna (PDP Chairman, Abia State); and Turnah George (Secretary, PDP South-South).

In a ruling on 31 October, Justice Omotosho directed that preparations for the convention be suspended until the PDP complies with its constitution, the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The judge also barred INEC from monitoring the convention until the party fulfils the required legal conditions.

On 5 November, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court issued an ex-parte order allowing the PDP to proceed with its convention.

On 11 November, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an interim injunction stopping the PDP from holding the convention.

The order, which was to remain in effect until the determination of the main suit, was issued in a case filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who claimed he was denied the opportunity to obtain a form to contest the party’s chairmanship position.

On 13 November, Justice Akintola extended his earlier order permitting the PDP to go ahead with the convention.

On 14 November, Justice Lifu delivered judgment in the suit filed by Lamido, ruling that the PDP should not hold the convention unless Lamido was allowed to contest the chairmanship position.

How Wike And Others Were Expelled

New details emerged yesterday on how Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and several influential party leaders coordinated the expulsion of Wike, Anyanwu and others during Saturday’s national convention.

Sources informed our reporter that Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who chaired the convention planning committee, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, were intentionally excluded from the plans to expel Wike and his allies.

“Fintiri is Wike’s friend. They feared he could have sabotaged the plan or even withdrawn from the convention if he was informed,” a source said.

According to the source, the motion for expulsion moved by Chief Bode George caught both governors completely off guard.

“They immediately distanced themselves because they were unaware of the plan until the motion was presented.”

The source described the convention as a “carefully choreographed operation” designed to outmanoeuvre Wike’s supporters and reposition the party towards a new direction.