Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Abdullahi, challenged Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Thursday to seize the office used by the Turaki‑led faction of the PDP, if he believes he can.
Abdullahi made the challenge during an interview on Channels Television, responding to remarks Wike made at a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. At that briefing, Wike questioned the legitimacy of the Turaki group’s claim to be the authentic leadership of the PDP and warned that any premises being used as a secretariat by the faction would be sealed off. He added that no splinter group could unilaterally establish a party structure and operate it as a national headquarters.
In the television interview, Abdullahi said the Turaki faction already functions from a known office and invited Wike to “come there and take over the office if he can.” He described the premises as a temporary location but noted that the faction holds meetings and carries out its functions there. “We are descending into a state of anarchy where life is brutish, short and nasty, as Thomas Hobbes would describe it,” Abdullahi warned.
The dispute reflects an ongoing power struggle within the PDP following the 2023 general elections, which left the party without a clear national chairman. Two rival factions, one led by former governor of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode and the other by former Minister of Education and former Senate President Kabir Turaki, have each claimed legitimacy as the party’s national leadership. Both groups have sought recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the courts, leading to a series of legal battles and parallel national conventions.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a senior PDP figure, has been vocal in supporting the Ambode‑led faction. His statement that any secretariat used by the Turaki group would be sealed underscores the minister’s willingness to involve state apparatus in the internal party dispute.
Abdullahi’s challenge, delivered on a national broadcaster, signals that the Turaki faction remains defiant despite legal setbacks. The episode adds another layer to the PDP’s internal crisis, which has drawn attention from the party’s national executives, INEC, and political observers who warn that prolonged factionalism could weaken the opposition’s ability to contest future elections.
The next steps are likely to involve further legal filings as both sides continue to seek judicial affirmation of their leadership claims. Meanwhile, the PDP’s internal discord is expected to influence its strategic positioning ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.
