The Peoples Democratic Party national secretariat in Abuja remained locked on Monday following the decision by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike-backed faction to delay its planned takeover of the facility.
The faction attributed its absence to ongoing administrative and security procedures being carried out by the police regarding the reopening of the party headquarters.
The National Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, dismissed claims that the police had rejected their request to access the secretariat.
“I am not aware that the police declined our request, and I do not believe that is true. The police are the appropriate authority to confirm why the secretariat has not yet been opened, and we cannot force them,” Mohammed stated.
He explained that law enforcement authorities were still conducting administrative and security processes before taking final action on the matter.
“We are certain that the secretariat will be reopened. The police must open the secretariat because they are required to comply with the court order,” Mohammed insisted.
The spokesman noted that the closure resulted from internal disputes over the party’s legitimate leadership, which he said had been resolved by the court.
“Therefore, the police are expected to reopen the secretariat to allow for the lawful activities and business of the political party,” he added.
When questioned about possible actions if the police failed to reopen Wadata Plaza, Mohammed emphasised his faction’s commitment to lawful engagement.
“We are law-abiding people and leaders, and we will continue to engage the police respectfully to understand any delays and address any concerns they may have. We will not resort to violence or unlawful actions,” he said.
He ruled out violence, expressing confidence that the matter would not escalate into conflict. Mohammed, however, could not provide a definite reopening date, citing delays often associated with administrative processes.
“What we know for certain is that the secretariat will be reopened for party activities. The exact date for reopening is not yet known because administrative processes sometimes face delays, even after tentative timelines are given,” he stated.
The development followed a Sunday exchange between the Wike-backed camp and the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led National Working Committee over the planned reopening.
While the Wike faction insisted on proceeding with the takeover, the Turaki camp, backed by Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), warned that the police would be held responsible for any untoward incident at the party headquarters.
On January 30, 2026, a Federal High Court in Ibadan nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, and restrained Turaki and others elected at the exercise from parading themselves as national officers.
The party governors had endorsed the Ibadan convention, which elected Turaki and other NWC members for a four-year tenure.
The governors subsequently supervised a transition from former Chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki before Damagum’s tenure expired on December 9.
However, the Wike-aligned faction constituted a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, appointing Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting national chairman, Samuel Anyanwu as acting national secretary, and other officials with a 60-day mandate.
Attempts by both factions to hold a meeting at Wadata Plaza on November 18, 2025, ended in violence, prompting the police to seal the PDP National Headquarters.
The facility has remained closed for nearly three months.
Following the Oyo State High Court ruling, which favoured the Wike camp, the party pledged to conduct a fresh convention to elect new officers.
The Independent National Electoral Commission subsequently invited the Wike-backed faction to represent the PDP in compliance with the court order.
At a meeting, Anyanwu had announced that the Wadata Plaza Secretariat would be reopened for their use on Monday, a move the Turaki-led NWC opposed.