ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party’s internal crisis escalated dramatically on Tuesday as rival factions engaged in a violent three-hour standoff at the party’s national secretariat, featuring tear gas, physical confrontations, and high-level political confrontations.
The chaos unfolded when overlapping meetings scheduled by factions loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and former Minister Kabiru Turaki turned into a physical battle for control of the party headquarters.
Police fired multiple rounds of tear gas as the situation deteriorated, forcing governors, party officials, and journalists to flee for safety while Wike remained inside his vehicle throughout the confrontation.
The confrontation saw Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi physically block Wike’s convoy with their vehicles in a dramatic display of the deepening divisions within the opposition party.
“This is about the survival of democracy in Nigeria,” Governor Makinde declared, framing the confrontation as a national crisis rather than merely a party dispute.
Governor Mohammed expressed outrage at the treatment of elected officials, stating: “As governors we have been molested in spite of our immunity. Let the nation see the kind of democracy we have.”
The Turaki-led faction accused police of favoring Wike’s group and allowing “expelled members” access to the secretariat while blocking legitimate party leaders from entering.
The three-hour siege ended without resolution, with Wike’s convoy departing without the minister ever exiting his vehicle, underscoring the tense stalemate within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
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Disclaimer for CDA News
This article reports on violent political developments at the PDP national secretariat based on eyewitness accounts and statements from involved parties. The situation described reflects the ongoing internal crisis within the opposition party. CDA News maintains political neutrality and reports on these developments as matters of public interest and democratic health.
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