Police have cordoned off all entrances to the A-Class event centre in Abuja, where a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to Tanimu Turaki plans to ratify former president Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate. Officers used multiple vans to completely seal the two access roads from the Wuse and Maitama areas, blocking both party members and regular commuters from entering the premises.
This move follows a warning from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who on Friday told hotels and event centres not to host illegal political gatherings, citing security concerns in the FCT. In response, the PDP accused Wike of trying to derail its event. The party said the venue’s management told them pressure was being applied to cancel the gathering, even though the PDP had already paid and met all conditions. The party also noted that security agencies were informed about the convention, scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Wuse 2, Abuja.
A statement from the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said lawyers have been instructed to remind the event centre of the signed agreement. The party insisted the convention would go ahead despite what it called intimidation. “Nigeria is a country governed by law, and any attempt to use force to suppress political dissent is an aberration that must be resisted by all people of good conscience,” the statement read.
