The FCT Police Command is set to deploy personnel to prevent a possible clash between rival factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of Monday’s planned reopening of the party’s national secretariat by the caretaker committee backed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Senior police officers informed Sunday PUNCH that, while the command had not been officially briefed on the reopening plan, it would deploy troops to prevent a breakdown in law and order.
Tensions have risen within the party following the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee’s decision to reopen the sealed Wadata Plaza national secretariat in Abuja for activities on Monday.
Police locked the secretariat on November 19, 2025, following a violent conflict between the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee and the Mohammed-led caretaker committee.
Samuel Anyanwu, the acting national secretary of the caretaker committee, announced on Thursday that the secretariat would reopen on Monday, dismissing claims of legal barriers to restarting work at the party headquarters.
In an interview with PUNCH, Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, disputed Anyanwu’s claims to party leadership.
He insisted that Anyanwu and others remain ejected from the party.
“They are living in a fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto. That is what is playing out here because those expelled members of our party know that they cannot organize any valid meeting, let alone a convention.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognized them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit,” Ememobong said.
He also stated that the party had written to the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, reminding them that the secretariat is still under legal dispute before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the Court of Appeal.
“To this end, any attempt to enter and occupy this property will be a resort to self-help and an affront to the time-tested principle of law. In this particular instance, the case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered in the matter,” he said.
Ememobong advised the police against reopening the secretariat for the Mohammed-led faction, stating that any action taken to provide access to anyone before the outcome of the suit would be considered contempt of court.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that police officers at the FCT command would be deployed at the secretariat and other important sites to prevent violence and ensure public safety ahead of the reopening.
A senior police officer in the command, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to do so, said, “The command would not tolerate a breakdown in peace and order by the party or anyone else.
“Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground to prevent a breakdown of law and order.”
Another police officer also confirmed the planned deployment of operatives.
“Remember the last time, there was unrest in the general area, which required our intervention to restore order. There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that will be deployed there,” he said.
However, when reached, FCT spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated that she had not yet been briefed on the scheduled reopening of the party secretariat and declined to comment further.
When reminded that the secretariat had been sealed, she replied “yes” but declined to say if police would be deployed there.
