•PDP national chairman, Umar Damagum
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, alleging that suspended National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu led an armed takeover of the party’s National Secretariat in an attempt to install an acting chairman.
The petition, signed by PDP Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, claims that the incident occurred on Monday, November 3, 2025.
According to the document, Anyanwu was allegedly assisted by suspended Deputy National Legal Adviser Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, the National Vice Chairman (North Central) Mohammed Abdulrahman, and armed thugs mobilised by his aides, reports Channels TV.
The petition alleges that the intruders were armed with guns, knives, cutlasses, and sticks, and fired tear gas during the attack.
Staff and journalists at the Secretariat were reportedly assaulted, with three staff members, Mr. Terna Tergba, Mrs. Cecilia Ukwayi, and Innocent Ezekiel, hospitalized for injuries. A female staffer reportedly suffered from tear gas exposure and had to be resuscitated.
The PDP claims that the assailants attempted to forcibly install Abdulrahman as acting National Chairman and threatened members of the National Working Committee (NWC). Witnesses reportedly heard Anyanwu speaking with the FCT Police Commissioner, allegedly asserting that he had the backing of the FCT Minister and the police.
The party criticised the FCT Police Commissioner for failing to intervene promptly, alleging that police officers actively participated in dispersing staff during the attack.
The petition urged the IGP to hold Anyanwu, Abdulrahman, the FCT Minister, and the FCT Police Commissioner accountable for the assault, threats to life, and disruption of lawful party activities.
Damagum described the attack as a serious breach of peace that threatens democratic processes and called for an immediate investigation. The petition reportedly includes photographs and video evidence of the incident.
There was heavy security at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on Monday as former Vice Chairman for PDP North Central, Abdulrahman Mohammed, assumed role as the party’s acting national chairman.
Mohammed was declared acting national chairman by the Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee (NWC) following the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
The crisis in the opposition party escalated over the weekend as the national chairman, Umar Damagum, along with some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), announced the suspension of the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and other principal officers.
In a swift counter, Samuel Anyanwu led a separate faction of the NWC to suspend Damagun, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, and four other principal officers of the party, deepening the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP.
While Samuel Anyanwu-led acting national chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed resumed at the PDP national headquarters on Monday, Damagum and members of the National Working Committee loyal to him were conspicuously absent.
