Chaos at PDP Secretariat as rival camp attempts leadership takeover

Fresh tension erupted within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday after an attempt was made to unseat the party’s National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, and replace him with Abdulrahman Mohammed.

The incident, which occurred at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, further exposed the deepening leadership crisis within the opposition party as rival factions continue to jostle for control.

Mohammed, who earlier held a press briefing in Abuja, declared himself Acting National Chairman, saying he was stepping in at the request of key stakeholders who wanted to rescue the party from its current challenges.

“I have accepted to become Acting National Chairman at this difficult time through the mercy of God and instrumentality of very critical stakeholders of this party,” he said.

Expressing concern over the party’s dwindling influence, Mohammed blamed internal conflicts and poor leadership for the PDP’s weakening structure and the mass defection of governors, lawmakers, and council chairmen in recent years.

“We are all aware of the current pitiable state of our glorious party because of the actions and inactions of our leaders and members.”

“From being the ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years to being an opposition party for over 10 years now, from being a formidable opposition to a now humbled one,” he lamented.

He outlined a three-point plan to heal internal divisions, restore order, and organise a transparent National Convention to elect a substantive National Working Committee (NWC) after all pending congresses at the zonal, state, and ward levels are completed.

“My job here as Acting National Chairman is simple: heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation; reposition the party and make it law-abiding; and plan an all-inclusive National Convention and hand over to a properly elected National Working Committee,” he said.

Mohammed emphasised that the PDP must be “returned to the people,” declaring that “a new dawn has come” for the opposition party. He appealed for unity, prayers, and collective commitment to rebuild the party.

Earlier, tension had erupted at the PDP Secretariat after some staff attempted to stop the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, from accessing his office following his suspension by the Damagum-led NWC.

Police officers were called to restore order and dispersed protesting workers with teargas.

Shortly after the clash, Mohammed and his supporters entered the PDP headquarters. In a dramatic move, he walked into Damagum’s office and sat in the chairman’s seat, even though Damagum was not on the premises at the time.

Security operatives from the FCT Police Command were later deployed to maintain calm as the power tussle over the party’s leadership escalated.

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