…Turaki, Bala, Makinde Regain Plaza After Teargas Standoff with Wike Loyalists
By Yinka Giwa
The battle for the soul and physical control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a dramatic climax yesterday as the faction led by newly elected National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, stared down the full weight of federal-backed resistance from the Nyesom Wike camp and reclaimed the party’s Wadata Plaza national secretariat in Abuja. The confrontation, which saw heavy teargas deployment, near-violent clashes, and duelling party meetings, marked one of the most intense internal showdowns in the PDP’s recent history.
Tension erupted early in the day when Turaki’s loyalists arrived at the secretariat only to meet the gates locked and the premises occupied by the faction aligned with Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. Wike’s group—which has been at the centre of a power struggle with the newly elected leadership—had convened a meeting of its own, insisting that Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed and the NEC under his authority remained the legitimate leadership of the party.
Moments later, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde arrived to accompany Turaki into the complex. But as they attempted to enter the premises, police operatives surged forward, firing rounds of tear gas that enveloped the area. Bala Mohammed later revealed that both he and Makinde were teargased as security agents attempted to disperse Turaki’s supporters and create access for Wike’s faction. The governors, however, refused to retreat, insisting that the Wadata Plaza secretariat belonged to the legally elected PDP leadership.
Inside the complex, chaos reigned as both factions sought to hold meetings simultaneously. Wike’s NEC session went ahead, announcing sweeping punitive measures, including the expulsion of Bala Mohammed, Makinde, and Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal, alongside party elders such as Bode George, Adolphus Wabara, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), and former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel. Several state executives, including those of Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara, Lagos, Ekiti, and Yobe, were also dissolved in actions widely interpreted as an attempt by the Wike camp to consolidate power through structural overhaul.
But the Turaki faction dismissed the announcements as illegal. Turaki himself accused Wike, whom his group maintains has been expelled, of “storming the secretariat under the protection of federal might.” He alleged that thugs mobilised by a serving minister breached the premises with the backing of security personnel. Addressing journalists, Turaki insisted that his team had earlier formally notified the FCT Commissioner of Police of their scheduled meeting and received assurances of protection. He said the turn of events was shocking, given the guarantees provided.
“We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, to protect our mandate,” Turaki declared, emphasising that the PDP was under siege from forces attempting to override its internal democratic structures. He appealed to the international community—most pointedly to U.S. President Donald Trump—to closely monitor events in Nigeria, warning that the country’s democratic institutions were being compromised.
Governor Bala Mohammed echoed these concerns, accusing Wike’s faction of using federal power and security operatives to intimidate the party’s lawful leadership. He said the actions of the rival group amounted to an assault on Nigeria’s democracy, vowing that the PDP governors would not allow their mandate to be “usurped by imposters.”
“We are not going anywhere, even if they will kill us,” Bala declared, standing his ground with Turaki and Makinde inside the secretariat. “We should be allowed to survive as an opposition party.”
For hours, both groups refused to vacate the premises, even as police continued firing teargas intermittently to disperse crowds gathering around the secretariat. Each faction accused the other of attempting to forcefully seize control of the party’s headquarters.
But by late afternoon, the tide had shifted.
With tensions easing and security operatives stepping back, Turaki, flanked by Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, walked into the National Chairman’s office and formally reclaimed control of Wadata Plaza, marking the first time since the crisis erupted that the newly elected PDP leader successfully took possession of the secretariat. Supporters erupted into chants as Turaki settled into the office, symbolically reasserting his authority.
The return to normalcy followed a tumultuous morning that political observers described as “a battle of legitimacy fought in real time.” For Turaki’s faction, the day ended in victory—at least physically, as they occupied the building. For Wike’s loyalists, the crisis is far from over. They continue to insist that the NEC decisions taken yesterday, including the raft of expulsions and state executive dissolutions, remain valid.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the PDP’s internal conflict has intensified, and the road ahead promises more turbulence. Both factions now claim legitimacy. Both occupy moral and political trenches. And both appear prepared to escalate the showdown in the days ahead.
For now, however, the image that endures is that of a valiant Turaki group—staring down federal might, teargas, and entrenched resistance—to reclaim the PDP’s national secretariat in a dramatic, high-stakes political confrontation.