Fresh tension erupted at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Monday following the dramatic arrival of Mohammed Abdulrahman, who announced himself as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

Abdulrahman, accompanied by key officers including the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, declared that he had formally assumed office. He pledged to heal divisions within the PDP and restore unity to the embattled opposition party.

Addressing journalists shortly after taking charge, Abdulrahman unveiled a three-point agenda focused on reconciling warring factions, repositioning the party for discipline and relevance, and organising an all-inclusive National Convention to elect a substantive National Working Committee (NWC) after completing all pending congresses at various levels.

“My job here as Acting National Chairman is simple: heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation; reposition the party and make it law-abiding; and plan an all-inclusive National Convention to elect a properly constituted NWC after completing the outstanding congresses at the zonal, state, local government, and ward levels,” he stated.

Abdulrahman said his decision to step in followed consultations with “very critical stakeholders,” expressing concern over the PDP’s dwindling fortunes, which he attributed to poor leadership and internal discord under the outgoing National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum.

“We are all aware of the pitiable state of our great party due to the actions and inactions of some leaders and members. From being Nigeria’s ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years, we have become an opposition party for over a decade, weakened by defections of governors, legislators, and council chairmen,” he lamented.

He urged members to return to the PDP’s founding ideals and promised a “new dawn and rebirth” for the party.

“We will hand this beloved party back to her true owners, the Nigerian people,” he declared. “But I cannot do this job alone. I need your support, prayers, and genuine commitment to lift our party upward.”

Abdulrahman revealed that consultations were ongoing and hinted at plans to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting soon to deliberate on the party’s next steps.

Before his arrival, tension had gripped the PDP Secretariat as some staff reportedly attempted to protest the leadership change.

Security operatives fired tear gas to disperse the agitated workers, who had blocked the entrance to the National Secretary’s office, insisting that Senator Anyanwu, earlier suspended by the Damagum-led NWC, should not access his office.

The confrontation occurred in the absence of Damagum, who was said to be away from the premises at the time. Moments later, Abdulrahman and his team gained entry into the complex, proceeded to the Chairman’s office, and symbolically took over the reins of leadership before addressing the press.

Following the takeover, the PDP Secretariat was locked down amid reports that Damagum and his loyalists, who were expected to hold a separate meeting later in the day, were unable to access the facility.

As of press time, neither Damagum nor members of his camp had been sighted at the Secretariat, leaving uncertainty over whether they have relinquished control to the Abdulrahman-led faction.

Political observers say the development underscores the deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, which continues to battle internal dissent, regional power struggles, and waning confidence among its members ahead of future elections.