•Security operatives outside the PDP headquarters in Abuja
The Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Nigeria Police Force of enabling what it described as an unlawful takeover of its national secretariat in Abuja by “APC apologists,” deepening the party’s protracted leadership crisis.
The opposition party alleged that security operatives “unsealed the National Secretariat of our party and aided its takeover and occupation by the agents of the federal government and APC apologists, masquerading as PDP members, despite a pending appeal.”
The PDP maintained that the police action undermined ongoing judicial processes, noting that the ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court Abuja — upon which the police reportedly acted —had already been appealed, reports Channels TV.
“By their action, they have tampered with the res, and that can render the judgment of the Court of Appeal nugatory, when it is eventually given,” a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said, describing the development as “most shameful.”
It further accused the police of partisanship, expressing disappointment in the leadership of the Force.
“While it is not surprising that the police are acting in a clearly partisan manner, we were hopeful that they would act differently under the command of the new Inspector General of Police,” Ememobong said.
He added that officers had “consistently acted in a manner that leaves no one in doubt as to their support” for factions allegedly aligned with the ruling party.
Despite the heightened tensions, the Turaki-led group called for restraint among its supporters.
“As law-abiding citizens, we admonish our members to continue to maintain peace and not undertake any activity capable of breaching public peace,” the statement read, while pledging to seek redress through legal means.
The latest development comes amid a deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, marked by internal divisions, competing claims to authority, and lingering disputes involving key figures led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on the one hand, and another group backed by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and his Bauchi state counterpart, Bala Mohammed.
The crisis has led to parallel structures, legal battles over party leadership, and growing concerns about the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The faction of the party backed by Wike had yet to issue a statement on the matter as of the time of filing the report.
