The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated sharply on Thursday after the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, disclosed that security agencies had invited former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, and other members of a rival faction over alleged impersonation linked to the formation of an interim National Working Committee (NWC) at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
The latest confrontation highlights the deepening and increasingly bitter battle for control of Nigeria’s main opposition party, with the Anyanwu camp aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike insisting that it remains the only leadership structure recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following a Supreme Court judgment that has now become the central flashpoint of the dispute.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Anyanwu revealed that the current PDP leadership had formally reported the activities of the rival faction to both the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging that those who presented themselves at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre as members of an interim NWC were engaged in criminal impersonation.
“We have written to the security agencies, the police and the DSS, over the issue of impersonation, and they have already invited Wabara, Turaki and others who presented themselves at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, where the so-called interim NWC was formed,” Anyanwu stated.
He expressed confidence that the matter would proceed to formal prosecution, adding: “So, the matter is now before Nigeria’s security agencies, and we hope those involved will eventually be prosecuted.”
At the heart of the PDP crisis is a dispute over the interpretation of a recent Supreme Court judgment, with rival factions offering conflicting readings of the ruling to justify their respective claims to the party’s leadership. The faction opposed to Anyanwu’s camp has relied on what it says is the correct interpretation of the judgment to set up an interim NWC, while the Anyanwu-Wike faction insists the ruling vindicates the current leadership structure.
Anyanwu dismissed claims of conflicting interpretations of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the apex court’s judgment, insisting that the ruling was clear and unambiguous.
“The CTC has been officially released by the Supreme Court. We have copies and can make them available to you as members of the media,” he said, offering to furnish journalists with copies of the document for independent scrutiny.
He also urged media organisations to exercise caution in their reporting, advising them to subject the Supreme Court judgment to proper legal interpretation before publishing reports capable of triggering fresh disputes within the party.
“We will make the Supreme Court CTC available for you to read. I am sure every media organisation has a legal department. You can forward it to your legal department so that you do not misquote it and create issues that may become the subject of litigation,” Anyanwu added.
Anyanwu further maintained that the question of who leads the PDP had already been settled by INEC, arguing that the electoral body had verified and recognised the current NWC as the legitimate leadership of the party.
“You know the truth and should try to stand by it. There is only one PDP today. INEC has been here and has verified the current NWC,” he declared.
The claim of INEC recognition is significant because, under Nigerian electoral law, only a party leadership structure recognised by INEC can conduct valid party business, including nominations, congresses, and participation in elections. If the Anyanwu-led NWC is indeed the structure recognised by INEC, any parallel executive set up by the rival faction would lack legal standing to conduct official party affairs.
In a pointed challenge to the legitimacy of the Wabara-Turaki faction, Anyanwu questioned their operational capacity, demanding that they publicly identify their base of operations.
“Today, we are here holding our press conference. Where are they? Where are they operating from? What is their address? It is a simple question,” Anyanwu said.
The challenge appeared designed to underscore the Anyanwu camp’s claim that it controls the party’s national secretariat and official structures, while the rival interim NWC, having been constituted at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre a venue not associated with the PDP’s official headquarters lacks the institutional infrastructure to function as a credible party leadership.
The PDP leadership crisis is the latest chapter in a protracted internal war that has crippled Nigeria’s main opposition party at a critical period as the country approaches the 2027 general elections. The factional battle, which broadly pits forces aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike against those opposed to his influence within the party, has produced rival congresses, dueling court actions, and now, criminal complaints to security agencies.
The involvement of figures of the stature of former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and Kabiru Turaki, SAN a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs — in the rival interim NWC underscores the seriousness of the challenge facing the Anyanwu-led leadership, even as their invitation by security agencies over impersonation allegations raises the stakes of the confrontation significantly.
The invitation of Wabara, Turaki, and others by security agencies is likely to further inflame tensions within the party, with critics expected to accuse the Anyanwu-Wike faction of weaponising state security apparatus against political opponents within the same party, while supporters will argue that the law must take its course against those who set up parallel and unlawful party structures.
Neither former Senate President Wabara nor Kabiru Turaki, SAN, has publicly responded to Anyanwu’s claims as at the time of this report. The matter remains before Nigeria’s security agencies and is expected to develop further in the coming days as both factions continue to assert competing claims to the PDP’s leadership.
