The newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, on Monday led several top party leaders to the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Garki, Abuja, to file a formal complaint against expelled party members, including Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The visit to the police headquarters marks a new stage in the growing internal crisis within the PDP. Turaki, who emerged as chairman at the party’s recent National Convention held in Ibadan, arrived with members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and loyal stakeholders. Their mission was to alert the police about what they described as “illegal activities” by individuals who, according to them, no longer hold any official position in the party.
The immediate trigger for Monday’s action was the announcement of an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting by a faction of the party led by Muhammed Abdulrahman and backed by Wike.
A notice issued in Abuja by Senator Anyanwu, the expelled former National Secretary, stated that the meetings would hold on Tuesday at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja. According to the notice, the BoT meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m., while the NEC meeting is set for 2 p.m.
Turaki’s camp has rejected the announcement, describing it as an attempt to mislead party members and create confusion at a time the PDP is trying to rebuild and reorganise. Party leaders who accompanied the chairman to the police headquarters insisted that Anyanwu and the others behind the meeting lacked the authority to summon any gathering in the name of the PDP.
The conflict has its roots in the PDP National Convention held recently in Ibadan, Oyo State. At the convention, the party expelled Samuel Anyanwu, former National Secretary; Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State governor and current FCT Minister; and former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose. The party accused them of engaging in anti-party activities, especially during the 2023 general elections.
Their expulsion was one of the major decisions taken at the convention, which was aimed at resolving long-standing divisions within the party and repositioning it for future elections. Supporters of the expelled members, however, have rejected the decision and insist that the process was illegal and influenced by internal power struggles.
Wike, who played a major role in the PDP’s internal politics during the 2023 election cycle, has remained a powerful figure despite leaving the party structure. His current role as FCT Minister under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government has also continued to raise questions about his political alignment.
Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Minister of Special Duties, assumed leadership of the PDP with a promise to unite party members and restore internal order. However, the fresh attempt by the Wike-backed faction to convene key party meetings poses one of the first major tests of his leadership.
Speaking briefly after lodging the complaint, Turaki said the party would not tolerate actions that undermine its constitution. He stressed that those expelled at the Ibadan convention no longer have the authority to act on behalf of the PDP.
“We are here to ensure that the rule of law prevails,” he said. “No individual, no matter how influential, can be allowed to destabilise the party we are rebuilding.”
Party officials who followed him to the police headquarters expressed concern that the planned meetings could lead to confrontation among rival factions if not addressed quickly.
Sources at the police headquarters said the leadership of the Force has taken note of the complaint and may deploy officers to prevent any breakdown of law and order at Wadata Plaza. With both sides determined to assert control, security agencies may need to intervene to prevent clashes, especially during the scheduled meetings.
The PDP finds itself at a critical moment. With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, the party urgently needs unity and stability. Instead, it is battling deep divisions between long-standing power blocs.
Tuesday’s planned meetings may determine the next phase of the crisis. If the Wike-backed faction proceeds despite the complaint, the party may witness further confrontation. If the police intervene to halt the gatherings, the dispute could shift to the courts.
For now, party faithful across the country are watching closely to see which faction will succeed in controlling the PDP’s national structure.
