Chaos erupted at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, November 14, 2025, as rival factions battled for control of the party’s headquarters. The violent confrontation, marked by property destruction, physical fights, and police intervention, has been widely described as a significant threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

The conflict began early in the morning when the Wike-aligned faction, led by Mohammed Abdulrahman, initially seized control of the secretariat around 7:30 a.m. By 11:00 a.m., Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) arrived with supporters to escort Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), recently elected National Chairman by their faction at a convention in Ibadan. Their arrival sparked pandemonium, with supporters from both sides engaging in fistfights. Police deployed teargas, dispersing party members, staff, and journalists. Several media personnel, including Mohammed Baba, suffered injuries, and equipment was damaged during the melee.

Turaki’s faction eventually regained control of the secretariat, formally assuming office. In a statement to journalists, Turaki condemned the opposing faction as “renegade members”, accusing FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of orchestrating the disruption. Turaki emphasized his faction’s commitment to defending democracy, noting that over 50 teargas canisters were fired at supporters. He also appealed to US President Donald Trump and the international community to intervene, citing threats to democracy and alleging a “genocide against Nigerian Christians.” As a result of the turmoil, Turaki’s faction postponed its inaugural National Working Committee (NWC) meeting to November 19.

Conversely, the Wike-aligned faction, with Abdulrahman as acting chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary, dismissed the Ibadan convention as a “charade”. At their 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on November 18, 2025, they ratified the expulsion of rival leaders, including Governors Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Dauda Lawal, and Turaki. The faction also approved the dissolution of state party executives, reaffirmed Abdulrahman as acting national chairman, and launched a party-wide reconciliation initiative.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) condemned the incident as a “disturbing assault on Nigeria’s democracy,” accusing agents linked to senior officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Bola Tinubu administration of orchestrating the attack. ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that such actions could threaten multiparty democracy, undermine the 2027 general elections, and embolden the government to target other civil organizations. The party demanded an independent investigation into the roles of the Nigerian Police and other security forces.

Amid the turmoil, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, aligned with the Wike faction, was reportedly escorted out of a stakeholders’ meeting by Turaki supporters, an act condemned as “disgraceful” by Asorta James, Special Assistant to the Benue Governor. The national secretariat remains under heavy security, with both factions claiming legitimacy and vowing to defend the party’s mandate, raising concerns among Nigerians and international observers about the stability of the country’s democratic institutions.