From Our Political Correspondent
Heavy Security Response as Makinde, Bala Mohammed Force Entry Into Wadata Plaza
Gunshots and tear gas disrupted activities around the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday as police moved to disperse supporters from rival factions engaged in a fierce struggle for control of the party.
The confrontation intensified when security operatives fired warning shots and released tear gas at the entrance of Wadata Plaza, where crowds loyal to the Anyanwu, Abdulrahman faction and those backing Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed attempted to outmuscle each other.
Trouble began when the Anyanwu–Abdulrahman group attempted to block the governors from accessing the building, describing them as intruders and vowing to keep them out of the scheduled meeting.
Despite the standoff, Makinde and Bala Mohammed arrived with newly elected National Chairman Tanimu Turaki (SAN), forcing their way into the premises with the support of security aides.
They proceeded to the NEC Hall, where the Abdulrahman-led bloc was already seated for its own parallel meeting.
Turaki briefed journalists inside the secretariat, announcing that incidents caused by opposing actors had compelled his camp to postpone its meeting to Wednesday.
Police officers later ordered all party members to immediately vacate the premises as the tension escalated.
The crisis deepened following an earlier morning takeover by Abdulrahman Mohammed, reportedly backed by the Wike-aligned faction, which insists he is the new national chairman — a claim firmly rejected by the Makinde–Turaki camp.
The power tussle underscores the widening leadership crisis shaking the PDP, with both factions entrenched in parallel structures and refusing to back down.
