Tension heightened on Monday as rival factions loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, prepared for a possible showdown over the reopening of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

The planned reopening by a Wike-backed 13-member caretaker committee, reportedly with police support, has raised fears of confrontation, given the lingering leadership crisis within the party.

Last Thursday, the national secretary of the Wike-backed faction, Samuel Anyanwu, announced after a closed-door meeting at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters that the group would take over the party’s national secretariat on Monday.

The dispute is rooted in a prolonged power struggle between the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led faction, supported by governors including Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and the caretaker committee aligned with Wike. Turaki’s faction claims legitimacy based on the PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15, 2025, a convention later nullified by a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Previous attempts by both factions to access the Wadata Plaza secretariat had resulted in clashes and police intervention.

Speaking to journalists, the caretaker committee’s Publicity Secretary, Jogudo Mohammed, said the police had been directed to reopen the secretariat in compliance with the Ibadan court judgment. He disclosed that fumigation and general clean-up of the premises would commence immediately, after which party activities would resume.

Mohammed added that the sale of nomination forms for elective positions ahead of the party’s March convention would begin on Tuesday at the secretariat, stressing that the court judgment remained binding until set aside by a higher court.

He warned that any attempt by members of the Turaki-led National Working Committee, whom the court restrained from acting as national officers, to disrupt activities at the secretariat could amount to contempt of court.

A senior member of the caretaker committee also said security agencies, including the police, had been duly served with the court judgment and were expected to remove the barricades at Wadata Plaza to allow normal party operations.

However, the Turaki-led faction cautioned against what it described as self-help, insisting that the matter was still subject to appeal. National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, urged restraint and warned that the police would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order.

“Our suit is still pending, and the appeal is alive before the Court of Appeal. Everyone should exercise restraint,” Ememobong said.

Former PDP National Vice Chairman (South West), Eddy Olafeso, also expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would ultimately resolve the crisis, describing the dispute over the secretariat as a minor issue.

He said the PDP would survive the internal turmoil, adding that committed party members remained hopeful that justice would prevail despite ongoing legal battles.

As both factions insist on their positions, fears remain that the reopening of the PDP national secretariat could trigger fresh tensions unless security agencies and party leaders act decisively to prevent violence.