The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced that its newly elected National Chairman, Senior Advocate Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has resumed duties at the party’s National Secretariat on Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
Accompanied by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Turaki entered the building after a brief but tense standoff with a rival faction led by former National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu.
The confrontation stemmed from the party’s National Convention in Ibadan on 15 November 2025, during which Turaki was elected chairman and subsequently expelled Anyanwu, former FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose and several others for alleged anti‑party activities. With police support, Turaki’s camp forced entry into the NEC Hall, displacing the opposing group and asserting constitutional authority.
In a press briefing, Turaki thanked the Federal Capital Territory Police Command for its “professional security support” and reaffirmed his commitment to restoring order, unity and democratic governance within the PDP. He announced that the inaugural National Working Committee (NWC) meeting would proceed, signaling a fresh start for the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
While the meeting was initially scheduled for 18 November, Turaki postponed it to 19 November to allow for a smoother transition and to address the fallout from the morning’s disturbances.
He called on all party members governors, legislators, state chairmen and grassroots supporters to rally behind the new leadership and warned that any further attempts to disrupt the party’s lawful activities would be met with a nationwide mobilisation of PDP members.
The episode underscores the deepening fissures within the PDP, as the expulsion of high‑profile figures and disputes over the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention have split the party into two camps: one aligned with Turaki and his gubernatorial allies, the other with the expelled leaders and their supporters.
Analysts suggest that the outcome of this internal struggle will determine the PDP’s ability to present a coherent opposition to the ruling party in the run‑up to 2027. Turaki’s successful seizure of the secretariat marks a pivotal, though still contested, victory that will shape the party’s future direction and its relevance in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
