The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have approached a federal high court in Abuja over the continued closure of the party’s national secretariat.
Court documents show that the faction filed a suit at thr court seeking orders compelling the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to immediately unseal and vacate the PDP national headquarters and all party offices nationwide.
The party’s demand is contained in a motion on notice filed by the plaintiffs through Chris Uche, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as lead counsel.
The application asked the court to issue a mandatory injunction directing the police to dismantle all barricades and withdraw from the PDP offices without delay.
THE SUIT
In the fresh suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/252/2025, the PDP, alongside Turaki and Adolphus Wabara, senate president, and chairman of the board of trustees (BoT), asked the court to restrain the police from further interference in the party’s internal affairs.
The IGP and the NPF are listed as defendants in the suit.
The plaintiffs sought an order compelling the police to immediately remove all barricades, unseal and vacate the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, as well as its annex, Legacy House in Maitama, pending the determination of the case.
They also requested an order restraining the police from sealing, occupying or restricting access to any PDP office across the country during the pendency of the suit.
The plaintiffs argued that the police acted without lawful authority by sealing and occupying the party’s offices from November 18, 2025, and remaining there since.
They maintained that Turaki and Wabara are the principal officers responsible for the administration and management of the party.
An affidavit supporting the motion was sworn by Taofik Arapaja, national secretary, who said the PDP held its elective national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, where new officers, including Turaki as national chairman, were elected.
Arapaja added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was duly notified of the outcome on November 17, 2025.
He explained that the party merely informed security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), of an emergency stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for November 18, 2025, and requested security coverage.
Instead, he alleged that a large contingent of police officers led by the federal capital territory commissioner of police stormed the secretariat, fired more than 200 tear gas canisters, and sealed the premises.
He further claimed that party officials, staff, and visiting governors, including those of Bauchi and Oyo states, were denied access to the building.
According to the affidavit, the police action was taken without any valid court order and amounted to an unlawful occupation of PDP property.
The party argued that the prolonged closure of its secretariat has severely disrupted its operations, including administrative coordination, policy formulation, membership management, and preparations for future elections.
The plaintiffs also insisted that the police, as an institution established under the Nigeria Police Act 2020, must not act in a partisan manner.
They urged the court to grant the application, arguing that the balance of convenience favours the PDP and that monetary compensation would not adequately remedy the damage if the reliefs are refused.
They maintained that granting the application would serve the interest of justice and dispel any perception that the court is endorsing the police action.
BACKSTORY
The party’s national secretariat was sealed in November after violent clashes erupted between two rival PDP factions, one led by Turaki and the other aligned with Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory.
Tension escalated when both factions scheduled meetings at the secretariat on the same day, prompting police intervention.
Tear gas was reportedly fired before the premises were locked and cordoned off with barbed wire.
As a result, the Turaki-led national working committee (NWC) was unable to hold its rescheduled inaugural meeting at the secretariat.
Turaki emerged as national chairman at the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo state, in November.
The faction aligned with Wike rejected the convention, arguing that it violated existing court orders restraining the party from holding the exercise.
Ahead of the convention, James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, judges of the federal high court in Abuja, issued orders stopping the PDP from conducting its planned November 15 and 16, 2025 convention.
Despite the injunctions, a high court in Ibadan later granted an ex parte order permitting the party to proceed with the convention.
At the Ibadan convention, the PDP announced the expulsion of Wike, Samuel Anyanwu, embattled national secretary, Mohammed Abdulrahman, factional chairman, and eight others over alleged anti-party activities.