The Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has explained why it did not resume activities at the party’s national secretariat on Monday, attributing its absence to ongoing administrative and security processes being handled by the police ahead of the facility’s reopening.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The SOCIETYGIST, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, dismissed claims that the police had rejected the faction’s request to access the party headquarters at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
“I am not aware that the police declined our request, and I do not believe that is true,” Mohammed said. “The police are the appropriate authority to confirm why the secretariat has not yet been opened, and we cannot force them.”
According to him, the police are still carrying out internal administrative and security checks before taking a final decision on reopening the facility.
“They are still carrying out their administrative and security processes. However, we are certain that the secretariat will be reopened. The police must comply with the court order,” he added.
Mohammed noted that the closure of the PDP national secretariat stemmed from leadership disputes within the party, stressing that the matter had already been settled by the courts.
“The disagreement over who constitutes the genuine leadership has been resolved by the court. Therefore, the police are expected to reopen the secretariat to allow lawful party activities to resume,” he said.
Reacting to speculation that the police had turned down the faction’s request, Mohammed insisted that such reports were false.
“It is not true that the police declined our request. What we know is that they intend to reopen the secretariat once their internal processes are concluded,” he said.
On the faction’s next steps should the reopening be further delayed, Mohammed said the group would continue to engage law enforcement peacefully.
“We are law-abiding leaders. We will continue to engage the police respectfully and address any concerns they may have. We will not resort to violence or unlawful actions,” he said, expressing confidence that the situation would not escalate.
While he could not confirm a specific reopening date, Mohammed maintained optimism that access would be restored soon.
“Administrative processes sometimes experience delays, even after timelines are given. Once those processes are completed, the secretariat will be reopened,” he assured.
The explanation follows heightened tension within the PDP after both the Wike-backed faction and the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led National Working Committee (NWC) clashed verbally over plans to reopen the party headquarters.
While the Wike-aligned group insisted it would proceed with resuming activities at Wadata Plaza, the Turaki-led 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 unrest at the secretariat.
The crisis deepened after a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, on January 30, 2026, nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, and barred Turaki and other officials elected at the convention from presenting themselves as national officers of the party.
Following the judgment, the Wike-aligned camp constituted a 13-member caretaker committee, appointing Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as acting national secretary, with a 60-day mandate.
Previous attempts by both factions to hold meetings at the secretariat on November 18, 2025, ended in violence, prompting the police to seal the facility. The headquarters has remained shut for nearly three months.
After the court ruling that favoured the Wike-backed faction, the party announced plans for a fresh convention, while INEC invited the Wike-aligned group to represent the PDP in line with the judgment.
Anyenwu had earlier announced that Wadata Plaza would reopen on Monday, a move strongly opposed by the Turaki-led NWC, setting the stage for the latest round of political tension within the opposition party.
Why We Stayed Away From Wadata Plaza — Wike-Backed PDP Explains Secretariat Absence
