After standoff: Wike-backed PDP faction expels Makinde, Mohammed, Turaki, George, others

Dissolves party State Executive Councils of Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, Edo, Ekiti

We’re determined to protect Nigeria’s democracy – Bauci gov

Turaki resumes as PDP national chairman after standoff at Wadata plaza

Emeka Agu Jnr & Mathew Brangyet

Shortly after the Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that supported by Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, clashed at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, the factional National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP led by Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, has expelled governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara from the party.

The faction, backed by the FCT minister, also expelled the party’s new National Chairman, Sen. Tanimu Turaki, Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara and Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja.

Also expelled, according to the group, are the Chairman, Caretaker Committee for South-South, Emmanuel Ogidi and others for alleged anti-party activities.

The embattled National Secretary of the party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, said this while presenting the communique of the controversial 103 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held by the faction at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the factional NEC ratified the expulsion of the affected members.

He said they were expelled over alleged disregard for court judgements, an action he said put the party in disrepute.

Anyanwu said that the NEC expressed deep concern over the actions of some members who violated subsisting court orders by organising and attending a purported and unauthorised convention.

This act, according to him, triggered confusion, factionalisation, and the defection of governors and legislators nationwide.

“NEC received the report of the acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, detailing breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct bringing the Party into disrepute.

“NEC approved the commencement of disciplinary procedures against the following; Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, and Setonji Koshoedo.

“Others include Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel and Emmanuel Enorden.

“NEC further resolved that Chief Ali Odefa must refund all salaries and allowances collected after his expulsion on 12 December 2024. These actions are taken to preserve order and discipline within the Party,” he said.

Anyanwu said that the NEC also ratified the dissolution of party State Executive Councils of Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, Edo, and Ekiti.

He said that the NEC directed the NWC to constitute caretaker committees and begin fresh congresses immediately while it recognised the Edo exco led by Nosa Ogieva.

“NEC directed Deputies in all National Working Committee positions now vacant owing to expulsion to assume the substantive positions in acting capacity and function as NWC members.

“NEC also formally ratified the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

“NEC directed the legal team and NWC to commence immediate constitutional action to recover seats of all elected officials who defected from the PDP, in line with Sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution,” he said.

Anyanwu added that the NEC also approved a party-wide reconciliation initiative to heal divisions and rebuild trust, while ensuring that reconciliation did not undermine discipline.

He also disclosed that a nationwide membership audit and revalidation would begin ahead of the 2027 elections.

“NEC acknowledged the anxieties among members but assures the Party faithful that these decisions are aimed at stabilising and strengthening the PDP.

“The NEC affirms that the era of indiscipline is over. The PDP will not bow to lawlessness or personal ambition.

“With unity, discipline, and renewed purpose, the PDP will rebuild stronger and restore public confidence ahead of the next electoral cycle,” he said.

Earlier in their opening remarks, the BoT Chairman, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa and Abdulrahman urged the party members to remain steadfast, expressing confidence that the PDP will surmount its problems.

The Daily Monitor recalls that there was chaos at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja earlier on Tuesday as police used teargas to disperse politicians and journalists gathered for meetings.

The situation escalated when two factions of the party, one led by former minister, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, and the other backed by FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, scheduled separate meetings on Tuesday at the Wadata Plaza.

Tensions flared upon the arrival of Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary of the Wike-led faction, leading to heated exchanges and scuffles among supporters.

As the conflict intensified, police intervened, ordering everyone to leave the premises.

When the crowd did not disperse, the police resorted to firing teargas, which caused widespread panic as attendees, including politicians, party members, and journalists, scrambled for safety.

Outside, supporters from both camps clashed, wielding cudgels and other makeshift weapons.

Reinforcements were eventually called to restore order, but the air remained tense as both factions exchanged blame for the violent outbreak.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has expressed the determination of the party leadership to protect Nigeria’s democracy, even at the expense of their lives.

Mohammed stated this while speaking with newsmen during the clash between two PDP factions at the national secretariat in Abuja.

“We are not just here to cause trouble; this is our own place and some imposters who have been expelled by the convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of the party, came to cause commotion.

“You can see the minister of FCT coming in person, being backed by the police.

“We are surprised because at the point when the police allowed us in, our chairman praised them for impartiality. But here we are here, to sit and see what will happen.

“We have been molested in spite of our immunity in time and whatever that we have, as leaders in our own right, with our chairman.

“We don’t want to cause trouble to anybody. Yes, we are in the opposition. We should be allowed to survive,” he said.

The Bauchi governor alleged that PDP was being destroyed by people from within the party, maintaining that relevant laws had been invoked to get them out.

“We are here to inaugurate our independence, and we don’t know what is happening. We are not going anywhere, even if they will kill us, we are not going anywhere.

“We oblige our chairman’s invitation, maybe you will hear more from him. But certainly we are pushing it. But this thing is getting out of hand. Enough is enough,” Mohammed said.

Also speaking, the new PDP National Chairman, Taminu Turaki, said they were determined to protect their mandate and the country’s democracy.

“We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, to protect our mandate,” he said.

Turaki said that his team had visited the FCT Commissioner of Police to inform him of their new NWC meeting when they heard that the other faction was also planning a meeting at the same venue.

He quoted the commissioner of police as promising to protect them.

Turaki expressed surprise that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who, according to him, had been expelled by the party, was granted access to the party secretariat’s premises.

Speaking before the crisis erupted, the suspended National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, described the security deployment to the party secretariat as a routine arrangement whenever the party was holding its NEC or BoT meeting.

“You can see there’s no problem. So if we start our meeting and they come here to disrupt our meeting, they become intruders because we’re already here.

“I don’t see anybody sensible enough to come and disrupt a meeting that’s ongoing. If anybody wants to meet, they can meet anywhere. It’s allowed, but we’re here,” he said.

Anyanwu insisted that he remained the party’s national secretary until Dec. 8, adding that any of the party’s correspondence to INEC must be signed by him.

While maintaining that there was no national convention in Ibadan, he said that two-thirds of the states’ delegates were not at the purported convention.

“On what premise are you expelling us? What platform are you using to expel us? The convention that never held?

“Every communication to INEC for any congress/ convention, I must sign it. I never communicated any letter to INEC for any convention. So, there was no convention. As a matter of fact, there was no convention anywhere.

“It’s very clear that any convention must be monitored, supervised by INEC. These things were not done,” he said.

However, in a significant victory for democratic integrity and party discipline, the legitimately elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has officially resumed control of the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza in Abuja.

Turaki, accompanied by key party officials, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, entered the premises on Tuesday and successfully ousted expelled members led by former National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu and his associates, reclaiming the headquarters for the authentic PDP leadership.

This bold reclamation took place amid heightened tensions following the PDP’s National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, where Turaki was overwhelmingly elected as Chairman on November 15, 2025.

In a swift enforcement of party resolutions, the convention expelled Anyanwu, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose, and several others for serious anti-party activities, including sabotage and attempts to undermine the party’s democratic processes.

Unfazed by the illegal occupation of the secretariat, Turaki’s team arrived with determination, forcing their way into the National Executive Committee (NEC) Hall despite initial barricades and altercations.

Eyewitnesses reported a tense atmosphere as supporters of the rival faction, including loyalists of the expelled National Vice Chairman for North Central, Mohammed Abdulrahman, clashed with security personnel.

However, the Turaki-led group, invoking their constitutional mandate, triumphed and drove out Anyanwu and his allies, symbolising the rejection of internal treachery.

 “For the past seven hours, Nigerians are living witnesses to the struggle we’ve been engaged in with those renegade members of our party that were expelled at our national convention in Ibadan,” Turaki said while addressing pressmen shortly after taking over as national chairman of the PDP .

“They came here with armed thugs that we did predict would disrupt our meetings, but God so kind, we were able to contain them effectively.”

He said: “Now, we have driven them out of the secretariat, and, as you can see, I have entered my office; I have assumed leadership as the elected chairman”.

Earlier in the day, rival groups clashed at the PDP secretariat as the leadership crisis in the party reached new levels.

Recounting what happened, Turaki said: “If we had not exercised restraint, if we had not controlled our members and our leaders, there would have been bloodshed here,” he said.

“We have been tear-gassed, and I think more than 50 canisters of tear gas had been shot at us. But we remained relentless and will continue to remain relentless.”

Despite this, the PDP chairman vowed that the party would continue to “defend democracy; we shall continue to act as the vanguards of democracy”.

Turaki said: “I have taken over my office, and PDP is back on course”.