A theatre of the absurd day for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday as Wadata Plaza, the party’s national secretariat, became a centre of chaos, factional power play, and intensified scheming by rival factions seeking control of the party and its head office.
The crisis was sequel to the release of two separate notices for National Executive Committee meetings on Monday: one issued by the expelled National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, and another by the newly elected National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki. With both camps insisting on legitimacy, tensions escalated ahead of Tuesday’s NEC meeting.
Around 8:40 a.m., Anyanwu arrived at the secretariat with supporters chanting anti-Turaki songs. Police personnel stationed around the premises struggled to control movement as the crowd surged.
Shortly after, Turaki and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) elected at the Ibadan convention arrived, forced the gate open and proceeded to the NEC Hall for the emergency meeting he had announced.
In what appeared to be a coordinated move, Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, key supporters of Turaki’s NWC, arrived in a convoy. The two initially stepped out of Bala’s official Sports Utility Vehicle, then returned to the vehicle to monitor the situation as it unfolded.
A little after noon, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, arrived with security personnel and remained in his vehicle, watching the actions of governors Makinde and Bala.
CP Dantawaye Miller, the FCT Commissioner of Police approached the Bauchi and Oyo governors and asked them to leave. Bala resisted, saying, “We are not leaving here. What is Wike doing here? His presence at the PDP headquarters is illegal. If he is not leaving, we are not leaving either.”
At long last, the leaders found their way into the secretariat. Wike met with his loyalists, including Anyanwu, factional acting national chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, and others, while Makinde and Bala entered the NEC Hall to join Turaki after a brief confrontation with police officers.
The FCT minister later left Wadata Plaza at about 2:06 p.m., with Makinde and Bala leaving at exactly 2:45 p.m.
While the standoff lasted, Turaki, Makinde and Mohammed spoke with reporters at different times.
Speaking, Turaki sought the intervention of the international community, particularly President Donald Trump of the United States to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
“I want to call on President Trump. What is at stake is not just genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
“He should come and save Nigeria’s democracy,” Turaki said.