The Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of what it described as “brazen use of power” following alleged disruption of its special national convention in Abuja, according to a report by TheCable.
The faction also called on President Bola Tinubu to caution Wike, alleging that actions taken by the FCT Administration and security operatives created tension around the planned event.
The PDP group had scheduled its convention at the A-Class Park and Event Centre in Abuja, where it announced former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election. Jonathan was not present at the venue, but his certificate of return was received on his behalf by a member of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi.
However, the event faced significant disruption after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) issued a directive requiring property owners to deal only with party leaderships recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It also warned that venues hosting “illegal organisations” risked losing their title documents.
Security presence was also reported around the area, with police officers blocking access routes to the initial venue before the event was relocated within the Area 10 district, where proceedings were eventually held.
In a statement, the Turaki-led faction alleged that the event venue booking was cancelled following pressure linked to Wike, including threats of revocation of the property’s certificate of occupancy. It further claimed that security operatives were deployed in large numbers to restrict access to the area.
The faction said it eventually opted not to forcefully use the original venue, describing the decision as one taken to avoid escalation. It added that its main agenda, the ratification of Jonathan’s candidacy, had already been completed before the relocation.
The group warned that the incident reflected what it called growing political intolerance and urged Tinubu to intervene to reduce tensions in the political environment.
