By Deborah Nnamdi
The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a new peak on Monday as security operatives sealed off both the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza and the Legacy House in Abuja, shortly after Abdulrahman Mohammed declared himself Acting National Chairman.
Heavily armed police officers arrived at the Wadata Plaza headquarters in the early hours, ordering staff and journalists to vacate before locking the gates and taking positions around the premises. Not long after, another team stormed the Legacy House in Maitama — headquarters of the National Convention Organising Committee — and shut it down, effectively paralysing operations at both key centres of the opposition party.
Journalists who attempted to access the Legacy House were turned back by officers who said they had “standing instruction from above” not to allow anyone entry.
The security clampdown followed hours of high drama earlier in the day, when Mohammed announced at a press briefing in Abuja that he had assumed the position of Acting National Chairman, replacing Umar Iliya Damagum.
“I have accepted to become Acting National Chairman at this difficult time through the mercy of God and the instrumentality of very critical stakeholders of this party,” Mohammed declared.
He blamed internal divisions and poor leadership for the PDP’s decline, noting that the once-dominant party had been weakened by waves of defections and infighting.
“We are all aware of the pitiable state of our great party because of the actions and inactions of our leaders. From being the ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years to becoming a humbled opposition, our decline is both painful and avoidable,” he said.
Mohammed unveiled a three-point agenda centred on uniting the party, restoring order, and organising an all-inclusive National Convention to elect a substantive National Working Committee (NWC) after pending congresses are concluded.
“My job as Acting National Chairman is simple: heal the party of its wounds, reposition it to be law-abiding, and hand over to a properly elected NWC,” he stated, urging members to “return the party to its true owners — the Nigerian people.”
Tension and Police Intervention
Tension had already been building earlier in the day when staff at the PDP secretariat blocked the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, from entering his office following his suspension by the Damagum-led NWC. Police were called in to disperse protesting staff with teargas.
Moments later, Mohammed and his supporters entered the secretariat and proceeded to occupy the National Chairman’s office in Damagum’s absence, a move that further inflamed the crisis.
According to party insiders, the heavy police presence later in the day was a pre-emptive measure to prevent clashes between rival factions.
“There were intelligence reports suggesting that both camps might attempt to occupy the building at the same time,” a senior PDP source revealed.
Divided Reactions and Growing Uncertainty
Reactions within the party have been sharply divided. Supporters of Mohammed’s move see it as a step toward ending months of internal paralysis, while others describe it as an illegal takeover and a brazen assault on party structures.
The crisis has also polarised the National Working Committee, with each faction holding separate strategy meetings at undisclosed locations.
In protest, staff of the party staged a walkout from the secretariat, describing the situation as “total confusion” and vowing not to resume work until the leadership dispute is resolved.
As of press time, both Wadata Plaza and Legacy House remained under lock and key, with armed security operatives maintaining tight control.
The latest development has plunged the PDP deeper into uncertainty, raising fears about its readiness to play a united role ahead of the 2027 general elections.
