Heavy security presence at PDP HQ ahead of polarised NEC, caucus meetings

There is heavy security presence at the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

The PDP national secretariat is heavily guarded by personnel from various law enforcement agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Uncertainty surrounds today’s scheduled gathering at the party’s secretariat, as one group claims it is a national caucus meeting, while the other insists it is a national executive committee (NEC) meeting.

Operatives were seen marching journalists, members of staff, and members of the party’s board of trustees (BoT), out of the complex.

The party has been embroiled in crisis partly due to the national secretary tussle pitting Sunday Udeh-Okoye against Samuel Anyanwu.

Anyanwu is an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

On June 25, the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP affirmed Anyanwu as its national secretary.

Speaking at a press conference, Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the PDP, said Anyanwu would resume as national secretary immediately.

The acting chairman also said the planned NEC meeting scheduled for June 30 will no longer hold.

He said, instead, an expanded national caucus meeting is scheduled for the date.

However, his directive was immediately opposed by the Udeh-Okoye faction of the party.

The PDP BoT accused Damagum of “abuse of office” for announcing Anyanwu as national secretary.