The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Monday as armed police officers stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, arresting a party staff member and preventing journalists from covering the controversial 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The once-tranquil Wadata Plaza was transformed into a tense battleground, with over 70 heavily armed officers stationed around the premises from as early as 8:30 a.m. The atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic when Thomas Ibu, a staff of the PDP Publicity Department, was reportedly manhandled and whisked away by security operatives.
Eyewitnesses said attempts by other PDP employees to intervene were met with force, as the police overpowered them and carried Ibu off without offering any official explanation for his arrest.
The development came amid growing confusion surrounding the NEC meeting, which has been at the centre of a factional dispute within the party. The camp of Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, has insisted that the meeting must go on as scheduled, despite internal resistance and legal ambiguity.
Security was tightened across the secretariat, with police trucks barricading nearby streets and dispersing youths who had gathered around the area. Staff members were instructed to vacate the premises, and access to the NEC meeting hall was strictly limited.
Journalists were not spared in the clampdown. While a few were allowed into the secretariat, they were restricted to the press centre and barred from covering the proceedings of the meeting. Others were turned away at the gate by stern-faced officers, further fuelling speculation about the party’s internal crisis.
As of press time, there was no official statement from the Nigeria Police Force or the PDP leadership regarding the arrest of Thomas Ibu or the motive behind the security lockdown. However, sources within the party say the unfolding drama reflects the intense power tussle ahead of the 2026 party primaries and the 2027 general elections.
The PDP, once Africa’s largest political party, now appears to be grappling with deepening internal fractures that threaten its cohesion and public image.
More updates to follow as the situation unfolds.