Wike’s PDP Faction Seizes Party Secretariat After Police Unseal Wadata Plaza

Nyesom Wike’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has taken control of the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza in Abuja, after the Nigeria Police Force unsealed the building on Saturday, five months after it was shut over violent factional clashes.

The police also reopened the party’s presidential campaign office, Legacy House in Maitama, handing both properties over to the National Working Committee led by factional chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, with Samuel Anyanwu recognised as National Secretary.

Mohammed confirmed the development in a statement through the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, calling it “a clear demonstration of respect for constitutional order and due process.” He commended the police for their professionalism and warned that the party would not tolerate any disruption at the secretariat, adding that security agencies are on standby.

The factional chairman also expressed appreciation to Wike, describing his support as “invaluable.”

How we got here

The PDP has been in deep crisis since late 2024, split between the Wike-aligned faction and a rival group led by Tanimu Turaki. The infighting turned violent, and the police sealed Wadata Plaza and Legacy House in November 2025 to prevent further clashes.

What changed? A Federal High Court ruling nullified the rival faction’s convention and ordered security agencies to enforce the court’s position. The police acted on that ruling over the weekend.

The other side

The Turaki faction is not taking this quietly. Its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, called the unsealing “contemptuous” and warned that the court judgment the police relied on is currently under appeal, with all parties duly notified.

“This action could undermine the outcome of the appellate process,” Ememobong said, suggesting possible partisan interference by the police. He urged members to remain peaceful and “law-abiding” while the faction takes “lawful steps” to protect what it calls the rights of genuine PDP members.

“Though pain may tarry at night, joy will come in the morning. Let us endure with hope,” he added.

Bigger picture

The PDP’s internal crisis comes at a terrible time for the opposition. The newly formed African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, which brought together Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and other opposition heavyweights, has already shifted the political landscape ahead of 2027. Meanwhile, the ADC is dealing with its own internal disputes, demanding the resignation of INEC chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan over an allegedly pro-Tinubu social media post.

With the PDP’s headquarters now in Wike’s hands and the Turaki faction heading to the Supreme Court, the party that once governed Nigeria for 16 years is effectively fighting itself while the opposition space gets more crowded by the day. Wike, currently serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under Tinubu’s APC government, has been accused by critics of working to destroy the PDP from within. The weekend’s events will only fuel that argument.

Sources: Daily Post, Punch, Vanguard, Politics Nigeria