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Abuja was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday as the ongoing leadership battle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) exploded into outright mayhem at the party’s national headquarters in Wadata Plaza.
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, a key figure in one of the warring factions, was forced to make a hasty exit from the building amid clouds of tear gas fired by security forces trying to quell the escalating violence.
The trouble started early in the morning when supporters of Wike’s camp, led by suspended National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, arrived to hold a scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
They locked down the premises, barring entry to rivals.
But things heated up when Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, and newly elected PDP Chairman Taminu Turaki showed up with their own entourage, demanding access to convene their parallel session.
Shouts turned to shoves, and soon a full-blown scuffle broke out. Police and other security operatives, caught in the middle, resorted to tear gas canisters to disperse the crowds.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of pandemonium: party loyalists choking on the acrid smoke, journalists scrambling for cover, and high-profile figures like Makinde and Mohammed wiping their eyes as they pushed forward.
Wike, who stormed the secretariat later in a show of defiance, was initially allowed inside amid heavy police presence.
But as more tear gas filled the air—even seeping into the building—he and his allies were overwhelmed.
Sources say the minister, coughing and surrounded by aides, had no choice but to flee the chaotic scene to avoid further escalation.
“It was like a war zone,” one staffer told reporters. “Everyone was running for fresh air.”
By midday, the Turaki-led faction had gained control of the NEC hall, vowing to “lay down our lives” for the party’s democracy.
Turaki addressed the press, condemning the “elements” behind the tear gas attack and asserting their takeover.
Meanwhile, Wike’s group regrouped outside, rejecting the Ibadan convention that expelled him and others like former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose for anti-party activities.
This latest clash underscores the deep rifts in Nigeria’s main opposition party, with both sides digging in for a prolonged fight.
As police barricades remained, questions linger about the PDP’s future unity ahead of upcoming elections.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism, with calls for calm from political observers.
For now, the headquarters stands as a symbol of a party tearing itself apart.
