PDP crisis: Turaki faction reacts to plan Wike-backed group to reopen national secretariat

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Tanimu Turaki faction of Peoples Democratic Party has warned its rival led by Abdulrahman Mohammed-led Peoples Democratic Party against going ahead with the plan to reopen the Abuja national secretariat of the party, popularly known as Wadata Plaza next on Monday.

The Abdulrahman Mohammed- PDP faction, backed by Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike had disclosed the plan to reopen the secretariat to journalists after the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) quarterly meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja on Thursday.

The Secretariat was sealed on Nov. 19, 2025 by the police following a clash between the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) and that of the factional acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed.

But Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the acting National Secretary of the Mohammed faction told journalists that his group has informed the police about its intention to reopen the secretariat.

He also claimed that a suit filed by the Turaki faction over the sealing of the secretariat “was dismissed because they have no locus,”

“So by Monday, we are taking over the office,” Anyanwu said.

But the Turaki faction of the PDP in a statement by Comrade Ini Ememobong, its National Publicity Secretary warned the police against aiding the faction, who according to him, was made up of expelled members of the party to gain access to the secretariat.

Ememobong said his faction of the PDP has already written to the Inspector General of and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command to remind them that the secretariat is still a res before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the Court of Appeal following the announcement by Anyawu.

“To this end, any attempt to enter and occupy these property will be a resort to self-help and an affront to the time-tested principle of law that parties who have submitted to the jurisdiction of courts should not act in ways that will render nugatory, the powers of the Court.

“In this particular instance, the case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members, they cannot resort to self-help, until judgment is delivered in the matter.

Ememobong noted that the Police Force, is a party on record in the said matter.

He therefore said that any action taken to grant access to anybody to the Secretariat pending the determination of the suit, is a contempt of the court.

He also affirmed that his faction will take every legal means to stop the takeover of the secretariat by the rival faction.

“We assure that we will deploy all legal means to defend our property from trespass. Responsibility for any injury to persons or damage to property arising therefrom should be placed solely on the aggressors and their security collaborators” he said.