PDP crisis deepens as Turaki-led faction files suit over sealed national secretariat

The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has worsened as the faction led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja over the continued sealing of the party’s national secretariat.

In the suit, the Turaki-led group is asking the court to compel the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately unseal and vacate the PDP national headquarters in Abuja, as well as all other party offices across the country.

Court documents show that the application was filed as a Motion on Notice by the plaintiffs, with Chief Chris Uche (SAN) appearing as their lead counsel.

The application asked the court to issue a mandatory injunction directing the police to remove all barricades and withdraw from the party’s offices without delay.

The PDP national secretariat was sealed in November following violent clashes between two rival factions of the party one led by Turaki and the other aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Tension escalated after both factions fixed meetings at the headquarters on the same day, prompting police intervention.

Tear gas was reportedly deployed before the premises were locked and cordoned off with barbed wire.

As a result of the closure, the Turaki-led National Working Committee was unable to hold its postponed inaugural meeting at the secretariat.

Turaki had emerged as national chairman at the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November.

However, the Wike-aligned faction rejected the convention, arguing that it breached existing court orders restraining the PDP from holding the exercise.

Ahead of the convention, Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had issued orders stopping the PDP from conducting its scheduled November 15 and 16, 2025 convention.

Despite this, a High Court in Ibadan later granted an ex parte order allowing the party to proceed.

At the Ibadan convention, the party announced the expulsion of Wike, the embattled national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, the factional chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, and eight others over alleged anti-party activities.

In the fresh suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/252/2025, the PDP, alongside Turaki and the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, asked the court to restrain the police from further interference in the party’s affairs.

The Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force are listed as defendants.

The plaintiffs specifically sought an order compelling the police to immediately remove all barricades, unseal and vacate the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, and its annex, Legacy House in Maitama, pending the determination of the suit.

They also requested an order restraining the police from sealing, occupying or restricting access to any PDP office nationwide during the pendency of the case.

In their arguments, the plaintiffs contended that the police acted without lawful authority when they sealed and occupied the party’s offices from November 18, 2025, and have remained there since.

They maintained that Turaki and Wabara are principal officers charged with the party’s administration and management.

An affidavit in support of the motion was sworn to by the PDP national secretary, Taofik Arapaja, who stated that the party held its elective national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, where new officers, including Turaki as national chairman, were elected.

He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission was duly notified of the outcome on November 17, 2025.

Arapaja explained that the party merely informed security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, of an emergency stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for November 18, 2025, and requested security coverage.

Instead, he alleged, a large contingent of police officers led by the FCT Commissioner of Police stormed the secretariat, fired over 200 tear gas canisters and sealed the premises.

He further claimed that party officials, staff and visiting governors, including those of Bauchi and Oyo states, were denied access to the building.

According to the affidavit, the police action was taken without any valid court order and amounted to an unlawful occupation of PDP property.

The party argued that the prolonged closure of its secretariat has severely disrupted its operations, including administrative coordination, policy formulation, membership management and preparations for future elections.

The plaintiffs also insisted that the police, as an institution established under the Nigeria Police Act 2020, must not act in a partisan manner.

They urged the court to grant the application, arguing that the balance of convenience favours the PDP and that monetary compensation would not adequately remedy the damage if the reliefs are refused.

Granting the application, they maintained, would serve the interest of justice and dispel any perception that the court is endorsing the police action. action is being endorsed by the court.

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