• Turaki seeks protection, pledges to uphold democracy, Makarfi resigns as BoT Secretary

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hurtles towards another explosive showdown today as its two rival power blocs: the Mohammed Abdulrahman-led faction backed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Seyi Makinde-supported faction that produced Dr Kabiru Turaki as National Chairman at Saturday’s Ibadan convention, prepare to hold conflicting meetings at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Perhaps dissatisfied with Turaki as PDP Chairman, former Governor of Kaduna State, Muhammadu Makarfi, resigned his position as Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

With both camps claiming legitimacy and summoning high-level gatherings for the same date, time and venue, tension has spiked within the opposition party, prompting fresh fears of confrontation and a possible security breach.

This fresh crisis may result in two governors and other senior party officials leaving the party.

In a move underscoring the volatility of the moment, Turaki, who emerged from the controversial Ibadan convention, yesterday, visited the FCT Commissioner of Police seeking protection for himself and members of his National Working Committee (NWC) ahead of their inaugural meeting today at Wadata Plaza.

Speaking after the closed-door meeting in Garki, the former Minister of Special Duties described a parallel notice convening NEC and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings by National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, as a “deliberate attempt to cause confusion.”

Turaki said: “We came to interface with the Commissioner of Police over our inaugural NWC meeting. Stakeholders have been invited—founding fathers, governors, National Assembly members, BoT members, state chairmen.”
He claimed that those issuing the counter-meeting notice had ceased to be members of the party, noting that their expulsion was ratified at the Ibadan convention.

“Our National Convention has expelled these elements, and its decision supersedes any taken by any organ of the party. We have informed the police because we do not want a breach of the peace,” he added.
MAKARFI’S resignation came on the heels of the national convention that saw the emergence of Turaki as the new Chairman.

In his letter of resignation, addressed to the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, yesterday, the former governor stated: “Chairman and members of BoT may recall that about two months ago, I had resigned as Secretary of the Board and posted same on the Board’s WhatsApp platform.”

“Mr Chairman, you may also recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that would produce a Chairman. The principal reason for my resignation then and now was and is still my belief that the National Chairman of the party and BoT Secretary should not come from the same geopolitical zone.”

VOWING that the NWC he leads would take control of Wadata Plaza, he said: “We will go there, have the offices opened and perform the duties we were elected to carry out. Anyone sitting there without our consent is an interloper.”
Turaki declared that his NWC members were ready “to lay down our lives” to defend the party and Nigeria’s democracy, adding that the Police Commissioner had assured him of adequate security.

While Turaki’s bloc moves to assert authority, the Wike-aligned faction led by Abdulrahman is preparing emergency BoT and NEC meetings also today at Wadata Plaza.

Multiple party sources told The Guardian that the meetings were expected to consider strong disciplinary measures, including the possible expulsion of leaders aligned with the Makinde-Turaki camp.
Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Makinde have reportedly been shortlisted for sanction, although final decisions remained fluid as of Monday evening.

Anyanwu formally announced the BoT meeting for 11am and the NEC meeting for 2.00pm, in a notice amplified by Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka.
The Wike faction’s emergency meetings are widely viewed as a direct response to the 11 high-profile expulsions announced at the Ibadan convention.

Those expelled include Wike, Anyanwu, former Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose, former National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and Imo PDP Chairman, Austin Nwachukwu.
The motion, moved by PDP chieftain, Bode George, and seconded by Bauchi PDP Chairman, Samaila Buga, passed overwhelmingly in a hall of over 3,000 delegates.

Turaki, while giving his acceptance speech after the swearing-in of the new officers at the end of the Elective Convention of the PDP in Ibadan, assured that there will be “no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians”.

He appealed to the judiciary to uphold the principles of stare decisis, abiding by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and not to “willingly or unwillingly put yourselves in a situation where, rightly or wrongly, it may be assumed, correctly or incorrectly, that you are part and parcel of the process to truncate Nigerian democracy.”