Tension At Wadata Plaza As Rival PDP Factions Storm Secretariat Amid Heavy Security

18 Nov 2025, 09:02 by Enioluwa Adeniyi · Naija News

There is heightened tension at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abuja, as two rival factions claiming leadership of the party moved to hold parallel meetings at the same venue.

Heavily armed security operatives cordoned off major sections around Wadata Plaza on Tuesday, anticipating clashes between loyalists of Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the newly elected National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki.

Members of the Anyanwu-led National Working Committee were the first to arrive at the secretariat on Tuesday morning.

Speaking to journalists shortly after settling into his office, Anyanwu declared that he remains the substantive National Secretary of the party until December, stressing that no leadership announcement or convention outcome could invalidate his tenure.

He brushed aside reports of his expulsion by the Turaki group, insisting that due process had not been followed.

Responding to questions about whether he had invited the security operatives stationed outside the premises, Anyanwu confirmed that he had.

According to him, it is standard practice for the PDP to request the presence of security agencies whenever major party meetings are scheduled.

He added that the security operatives were also positioned to handle any “intruders,” a comment widely interpreted as a warning to the Turaki-led exco, which had also summoned its own emergency meeting at the same national headquarters.

The Turaki-led leadership had, on Monday, written to the police to alert them of what they described as plans by expelled officers to disrupt activities at the party secretariat.