Violence broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party National Secretariat in Wadata Plaza, Abuja, on Tuesday, forcing police to fire teargas in an attempt to disperse supporters amid a leadership struggle between rival party factions.
According to Channels Television, the confrontation began when Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and members aligned with the newly elected PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, arrived at the party headquarters.
Their arrival sparked clashes with police and supporters loyal to Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s faction, who attempted to block their entry.
Security personnel associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, alongside the two governors, engaged in a standoff over control of the PDP National Secretariat, prompting the deployment of teargas to restore order.
While Makinde entered the venue with the newly elected National Secretary, Taofeek Arapaja, Wike remained seated in his car with Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s embattled national secretary, for over 30 minutes without alighting.
Makinde and Mohammed later spoke to journalists about the tense situation, recounting the teargas fired by police and the resistance from supporters of the Anyanwu faction.
Eventually, police ordered all party members and supporters to vacate the PDP secretariat to restore calm.
