Shortly after Abdulrahman Mohammed took over as Acting National Chairman, security personnel blocked off the PDP’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza and the Legacy House in Abuja on Monday, drastically changing the party’s leadership crisis.
Early in the morning, heavily armed police officers rushed the Wadata Plaza headquarters, telling journalists and employees to leave before sealing the gates.
According to reports, the officers positioned themselves strategically throughout the facility to thwart any attempts at access.
Shortly after, the PDP’s National Convention Organizing Committee headquarters, Legacy House in Maitama, was sealed off by another security detail. This virtually put an end to all administrative activities at the two main opposition party centers.
Police officers turned away journalists who tried to enter Legacy House, citing “orders from above” as the justification for the lockdown.
Staff and party members around the country were terrified by the abrupt security crackdown. It happened a few hours after Mohammed’s contentious appointment as Acting Chairman, which has deepened rifts inside the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Vanguard was informed by a top party source that the high police presence was a preventative measure to prevent violent confrontations between opposing groups.
Factions Trade Leadership for Blame Days of heated discussions and political scheming preceded Tussle Mohammed’s takeover, which was allegedly supported by a bloc inside the NWC loyal to a former South-South governor. Ahead of the 2027 general elections, his camp promised to bring stability and unity back to the PDP while accusing the previous leadership of being haughty and lacking coordination.
Umar Damagum is still the legitimate Acting Chairman of the PDP, according to supporters of the suspended leaders, who have rejected his rise as “an illegal coup.”
Later in the afternoon, PDP employees at the national secretariat staged a walkout to voice their dissatisfaction with the situation, which increased tension.
Carrying signs, the workers declared that there was “total confusion” and promised not to go back to work until clarity was restored.
Both Wadata Plaza and Legacy House were still under lock and key as of the time of publication, and armed agents were keeping a close eye on the area.
According to sources, loyalists from both groups were convening separate emergency meetings at undisclosed locations in Abuja to discuss potential reconciliation initiatives and next steps.
