The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party grew worse on Tuesday after the faction loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, announced the expulsion of several top members, including three sitting governors.
The factional National Executive Committee said Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara had been removed from the party.
Others expelled include former PDP Board of Trustees chairman Adolphus Wabara, former National Vice Chairman Bode George, and the recently elected National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Tension had already risen after last Saturday’s convention in Ibadan, which saw Wike and his allies expelled by the Bala-led faction. That fallout set the stage for Tuesday’s clash at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, where both factions planned separate NEC and Board of Trustees meetings.
At its meeting in Abuja, the Wike-backed NEC also dissolved the PDP executives in Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos and Ekiti, and ordered the formation of caretaker committees ahead of fresh congresses.
Reading the communiqué, National Secretary Sam Anyanwu said, “NEC received the report of the Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, detailing breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct bringing the party into disrepute.”
He added that disciplinary action had been approved against several party figures, including Wabara, Bode George, Ben Obi, Turaki, Bala Mohammed, Makinde, Dauda Lawal and others.
The day also saw open confrontation at the secretariat. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that acting chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, who is backed by Wike, arrived with his team before 11 a.m.
Shortly after, Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde reached the premises around 10:45 a.m., only to meet the gates locked. They walked in without their motorcades but were met with chaos when supporters of one faction released tear gas as they moved toward the NEC hall.
Security operatives later fired more tear gas to clear the crowd, sending party members, journalists and political thugs running for safety.
The governors eventually entered the premises with their vehicles. Minutes later, Wike arrived and positioned his convoy to block the governors’ motorcade at the entrance.
FCT Deputy Commissioner of Police for Operations, Ishiaku Sharu, later instructed Governor Bala Mohammed and his group to leave the secretariat. Bala refused, saying they would only leave if Wike and others also left. He then returned to the NWC hall after being told a meeting was already taking place there.
As of the time of filing this report, the governors and their supporters remained inside the building, while Wike stayed inside his vehicle parked outside.
NAN also noted that the Bala-led faction had expelled Wike and other members at the Ibadan convention on Saturday.
