Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, on Tuesday accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of driving the deepening crisis within the PDP.
Mohammed alleged that Wike had vowed to ensure the PDP does not form the next government in 2027, describing his actions as “impunity” and warning that they were not helping the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He spoke at the PDP Secretariat in Abuja after two groups within the party clashed while attempting to take control of the party’s headquarters ahead of a parallel meeting planned by the faction that held a national convention in Ibadan over the weekend.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde said the ongoing conflict was a fight about the future of democracy in Nigeria. He attributed his fallout with Wike to issues surrounding party discipline and adherence to the PDP constitution.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) condemned what it called a “disturbing and dangerous assault on democracy” after armed men loyal to senior officials of the ruling party allegedly attacked the PDP Secretariat. The ADC warned that Nigeria’s democracy was under threat.
Wike Faction Ratifies Expulsion of PDP Governors, Others
A factional National Executive Committee (NEC) loyal to Wike ratified the expulsion of Governors Makinde, Mohammed and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, as well as several senior PDP figures including PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Chief Olabode George.
They were accused of anti-party activities.
Bala Mohammed Accuses Wike of Gangsterism and Political Sabotage
Bala Mohammed labelled Wike’s actions as immoral and accused him of working for the APC to destroy the PDP. He described the crisis as a showdown “between good and bad”.
He said:
“The showdown you are seeing is a showdown between good and bad. This is a creation of one man called Wike, who thinks that he can continue to pollute the political space by showing gangsterism, ‘animism’, hooliganism and charlatanism.”
He questioned the morality of Wike remaining in the PDP while allegedly working for the APC.
“Is it moral for him to say that he will be in APC to destroy us? Is it normal that he is working for somebody else and he said we will not produce a government in 2027?”
Mohammed insisted that the Wike-led group lacked any legal basis to hold NEC or BOT meetings or use the PDP building. He noted that the Ibadan convention was legal and recognised under party rules.
Security Tension as Factions Battle for Party Headquarters
Chaos erupted at the PDP Secretariat on Tuesday as the Wike-backed faction temporarily took control of Wadata Plaza, Abuja. This prompted the swift arrival of Governors Makinde and Mohammed, who confronted the faction.
Police fired multiple tear-gas canisters to disperse supporters as both sides attempted to hold their meetings at the same venue.
The Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), elected at the Ibadan convention, had scheduled its inaugural meeting for 10 a.m. The Abdulrahman-led faction also summoned NEC and BOT meetings for the same location.
Security operatives from the police, DSS and NSCDC cordoned off roads leading to the secretariat as tension escalated.
While suspended National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu gained access to begin accreditation for the factional NEC meeting, the Turaki group had not arrived. Anti-Turaki protesters displayed placards reading “No to Turaki” and “Turaki Must Go”.
Anyanwu described the security presence as routine for major PDP meetings.
Governors Confront Wike’s Faction Amid Tear Gas
As police fired more tear gas, Makinde, Mohammed and Turaki forced their way into the NEC Hall. The governors’ faction overpowered the Wike group inside the secretariat.
Wike later arrived in a convoy but was prevented from entering by the governors and newly elected NWC members, who barricaded the main entrance.
Bala Mohammed decried the situation and called on the international community, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to intervene.
Turaki said: “We won’t give up our secretariat, and we shall defend it with our lives.”
Makinde: This Is a Fight for Democracy
Makinde said the dispute was not personal but about preserving multiparty democracy.
“We believe that our founding fathers gave us a multi-party democracy. We must sustain it so that Nigerians can have options when they are choosing their leaders.”
He declined to address personal issues with Wike, saying:
“Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events. We will rather talk about issues.”
ADC Warns of Democratic Backslide
The ADC condemned what it called a violent takeover of the PDP Secretariat, accusing the ruling party of attempting to entrench one-party rule. It described the incident as a “dangerous assault on Nigeria’s democracy”.
Factional NEC Expels More Leaders, Dissolves State Excos
The NEC loyal to Wike ratified expulsions and dissolved state executive committees in Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, Edo and Ekiti. It also ordered expelled party member Chief Ali Odefa to refund all salaries and allowances collected since December 2024.
The communiqué warned that the party “will not bow to lawlessness or personal ambition.”
Turaki-Led NWC Salutes Nigerians for Support
The Turaki-led NWC thanked Nigerians for standing by the PDP “in its struggle against tyranny and state-backed aggression”.
The NWC alleged that over 200 tear-gas canisters were fired at unarmed PDP members.
It warned that the attack threatened the survival of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and urged the international community to condemn it.
