Barbed wire was used to create a barrier to prevent anyone from gaining access to the premises. Credits: ChannelsTV

Police have cordoned off the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja as the internal leadership crisis in the opposition party deepened on Wednesday.

A key member of the faction loyal to Tanimu Turaki criticised the police action, insisting they would not be deterred. “This is our office and we will come to our office. No one can stop us,” he said.

The tensions escalated on Tuesday when supporters of two rival blocs clashed at the secretariat. The group led by Turaki arrived at the complex alongside Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, only to be confronted by supporters of the sacked acting National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Security operatives moved in as Anyanwu’s supporters formed a blockade, preventing Turaki’s group from entering. The situation deteriorated rapidly and police fired multiple teargas canisters into the crowd.

“If we had not exercised restraint, if we had not controlled our members and our leaders, there would have been bloodshed here,” Turaki told journalists afterward. “We have been tear-gassed, and I think more than 50 canisters of tear gas were shot at us. But we remained relentless and will continue to remain relentless.”

The clash ended with Turaki announcing that he had formally assumed duties as national chairman. Addressing the press, he said the group had fought for hours to take back control of the building.

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

The confrontation at the secretariat followed the factional convention held in Ibadan from November 15 to 16. The Turaki-led group announced the expulsion of Anyanwu, Wike, former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose and others, alleging anti-party activities.

Anyanwu’s camp, however, has rejected the outcome of the convention entirely, describing it as illegal. They retaliated by announcing the expulsion of Turaki, Makinde, Mohammed and other high-profile members.

Conflicting court rulings over the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention have added fuel to the crisis, leaving the party with two rival leaderships and no clear path to resolution.

As the police presence remains around the PDP secretariat, uncertainty continues to hang over the fate of the main opposition party, raising concerns about its stability ahead of future political contests.