Tension rose on Monday as rival factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, moved toward a possible confrontation over control of the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

The standoff followed plans by a Wike-backed 13-member caretaker committee to reopen the PDP national secretariat through police intervention. The move has sparked fears of clashes, given the long-running power struggle within the party.

Last Thursday, the National Secretary of the Wike-backed faction, Samuel Anyanwu, announced after a closed-door meeting at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters that the group would take over the PDP secretariat on Monday, February 9.

At the heart of the crisis is a dispute between the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led faction, supported by governors including Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and the caretaker committee aligned with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Turaki’s faction claims legitimacy based on the PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15, 2025. However, that convention was overturned by a ruling of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, a judgment the Wike-backed group insists remains binding.

Previous attempts by both factions to access the Wadata Plaza secretariat ended in clashes and police intervention, heightening concerns that Monday’s planned reopening could trigger fresh unrest.

Speaking to journalists, the Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee, Jogudo Mohammed, said the police had been instructed to reopen the secretariat in compliance with the Ibadan court judgment.

“Once the secretariat has been fumigated, the committee plans to proceed with convention activities there,” Mohammed said.

He added, “Yes. Tomorrow, Monday, 9th February, we expect that the office, Wadata Plaza, will be open for party activities. The sale of nomination forms for elective positions in the March convention, including ad hoc forms, is scheduled to commence the following day, Tuesday, and all this will take place there.”

According to him, fumigation and general clean-up would begin immediately, as the building had remained sealed for some time.

Mohammed stressed that the court ruling remained in force despite any appeal. “Merely filing an appeal against a judgment does not automatically stay its execution. The judgment remains subsisting, in full force of law, unless set aside by a superior court,” he said.

He warned that any attempt by members of the Turaki-led National Working Committee, who had been restrained from acting as national officers, to disrupt activities at the secretariat could amount to contempt of court.

“Any individual previously restrained from parading himself as a national officer of the party who attempts to obstruct lawful activities at the secretariat may be held in contempt of court,” he said, adding that law enforcement agencies would act accordingly.

A senior caretaker committee member also confirmed that the police were set to remove barricades at Wadata Plaza, noting that INEC, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services had all been served with a certified true copy of the court judgment.

“The secretariat will be reopened tomorrow, barricades removed, and normal activities will resume,” the source said.

However, the Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) cautioned against what it described as self-help, insisting that the matter was still under appeal. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said responsibility for any violence would rest with the police.

“Our suit is still pending before Justice Abdul Malik, and the Court of Appeal matter is also still pending and alive in the court of law,” Ememobong said.

Former PDP National Vice Chairman (South West), Eddy Olafeso, also expressed confidence in the appellate process, describing the secretariat dispute as a minor issue.

“The Court of Appeal will decide all issues, both minor and major,” Olafeso said. “This crisis won’t be the end of the PDP. We remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.”

As both factions dig in, security agencies are on alert, with the outcome of Monday’s developments likely to shape the PDP’s internal stability ahead of future electoral contests.