Internal divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intensified on Tuesday, as two factions contended for authority over the party’s national secretariat at Wadat House.

Law and order briefly collapsed as police used tear gas to disperse crowds at the secretariat. Some people were injured in the stampede that ensued.

A tense confrontation broke out due to a dispute between supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former national secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and the faction backing Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. These groups held parallel meetings at the party secretariat, which escalated into a physical fight involving gunfire and tear gas used by security personnel.

Before today’s showdown, rival factions supporting Seyi Makinde and Nyesom Wike held separate National Executive Committee meetings in Abuja, each asserting control of the party after the Ibadan convention, which formed a new National Working Committee and expelled several Wike loyalists.

Responding to their earlier notification, the Wike faction—under Senator Anyanwu’s leadership—showed up at the secretariat as planned for the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings; Wike himself arrived considerably later but did not alight from his vehicle.

The Governor Makinde/Bala Mohammed’s group got to the secretariat at about 11:10 a.m., joined by Kabiru Turaki SAN, the party’s newly elected national chairman, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, newly elected National Secretary, along with other team members.

The meeting descended into a clash when Governor Makinde and his allies were initially refused entry into the secretariat. The arrival of the FCT minister led to the dispersal of people through the use of teargas, as Governor Makinde and Turaki had already settled inside the NEC hall.

The development caused the police and other security agencies present at the venue to clear the supporters of the two factions who were chanting solidarity songs in support of their respective factions.

Recall that the PDP held its national convention in Ibadan last weekend, which was ignored by the Wike faction and his allies, who described it as a charade and jamboree. The party formed a new leadership, with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of the country, elected as national chairman and Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja as national secretary, among other positions.

The convention also executed the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, and the former national secretary of the party,  Samuel Anyanwu, were removed for “anti-party activities”.

However, Wike and some of his supporters rejected his expulsion, stating that the Oyo State Governor was trying to take control over the party. But the party insisted that Wike and his allies would not return to the party.

Wike Faction Expels Govs Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Others

In a dramatic turn of events amidst the ongoing crises in the opposition party, the Nyesom Wike faction announced the expulsion of Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara for alleged anti-party activities. Also, they expelled the former chair of the board of trustees (BoT), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, former minister; Taofeek Arapaja, deputy national chairman (south); and other key members.

According to the faction, the decision was taken on Tuesday at the 103rd meeting of the national executive committee (NEC) held at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, in which Mohammed Abdulrahman, acting national chairman of the faction, said the expulsions followed repeated violations of subsisting court orders, which he argued had undermined the party.

The faction also affirmed the dissolution of party executives in Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, and Ekiti, while approving the existing structure in Edo. Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary, read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

“The National Executive Committee (NEC) met on 18 November 2025 to address recent developments affecting the unity, stability, and constitutional order of our Party,” the communiqué reads

“At a time when Nigerians look to the PDP for leadership, NEC convened to uphold truth, justice, discipline, and respect for the rule of law.

“NEC expressed deep concern over the actions of some members who violated subsisting court orders by organising and attending a purported and unauthorised convention.

“This act triggered confusion, factionalisation, and the defection of governors and legislators nationwide. NEC reaffirmed that the PDP draws its legitimacy from strict adherence to its Constitution and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not from impunity.

“NEC received the report of the Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, detailing breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct bringing the Party into disrepute.

“NEC approved the commencement of disciplinary procedures against the following: Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben N. Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, Setonji Koshoedo, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel and Emmanuel Enorden”.

Turaki Assumes National Chairman 

On the other hand, the factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kabiru Turaki, has formally assumed the office as the chair of the party’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

Mr Turaki arrived in the company of Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

In his speech, Turaki thanked the PDP leaders for what he described as their “resilience” and “courage” in resisting attempts to destabilise the party. “I want to thank all of you for your resilience, for your courage, for your resoluteness in this struggle to take over our party, our property, and in doing so, to save democracy,” he said.

Kabiru Taminu Turaki SAN, the new Chairman, urged the global community to get involved in the party’s internal crisis and argued for stronger democratic practices in Nigeria.

The PDP National Chairman asked U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene over concerns about threats to Nigeria’s democracy, following an incident where suspended PDP members tried to enter the meeting hall without permission.

“I want to call on President Trump; what is at stake is not just genocide against Nigerian Christians. He should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Our democracy is under threat. I’m calling on all advanced developed nations, advanced countries to come and save Nigeria, come and save democracy, because I cannot understand how a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be leading thugs, and with the support of the police, to come and create mayhem here.

“We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, and to protect our mandate. Nigerians, you’re watching what is happening; international communities, you’re seeing the threat that Nigeria’s democracy is coming and will save us.”

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