Supporters of the Nyesom Wike-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday took control of the streets surrounding the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja, as tensions deepened over the party’s leadership crisis.
The protesters largely women and youth groups carried placards calling for the removal of the newly elected PDP National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, SAN. Some of the inscriptions read: “No to Turaki” and “Turaki must go.”
Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, had emerged as National Chairman at a disputed convention held on Saturday, which the Wike-led faction boycotted.
Both the Turaki faction and the Wike bloc had announced plans to hold parallel executive meetings at the secretariat on Tuesday.
By 9:45 am, the Wike-backed faction, led by the sacked Acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, arrived at the headquarters accompanied by heavily armed police officers.
Security personnel quickly took strategic positions around the secretariat and adjoining streets, effectively securing the premises for the Wike faction.
“We are here to reclaim the party and ensure that impunity does not stand,” a supporter of the Wike bloc said during the protest.
As of the time of filing this report, no member of the Turaki-led group had arrived at the secretariat.
More to come…
