ABUJA, Nigeria — Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, alleging a violent attempt by suspended national secretary Samuel Anyanwu to forcefully take control of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
In a petition dated Friday, October 3, 2025, and made public on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Damagum claimed that Anyanwu led a group of armed individuals to the Wadata Plaza headquarters on Monday, November 3, 2025, in what he described as a bid to impose a factional leadership backed by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the petition, the group “violently invaded the National Secretariat of our Party, with thugs mobilized by his Personal Aides Arthur Bruno, Emmanuel Okoronkwo and one Chidiebere Egwu brandishing dangerous weapons including guns, knives, cutlasses and sticks with which they broke into offices, unleashed violence, attacked, fired tear gas, wounded our staff, assaulted journalists and disrupted activities.”
Damagum said a female staff member fainted after teargas was deployed and was later revived.
“The thugs forcefully broke into the office of the National Chairman and attempted to install the said Abdulrahman Mohammed as the acting National Chairman of our Party,” the petition stated.
He further alleged that three staff members — Terna Tergba, Cecilia Ukwayi and Innocent Ezekiel — were hospitalised as a result of injuries sustained during the incident.
Damagum also accused the FCT police of failing to intervene.
Efforts to reach Anyanwu for comment were unsuccessful, as he declined to respond when contacted.
Anyanwu, who was suspended by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Saturday, November 1, 2025, alongside three other senior officials — national legal adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, deputy legal adviser Okechukwu Osuoha and national organising secretary Umaru Bature — has not publicly addressed the allegations.
The PDP has been engulfed in a leadership crisis marked by mutual suspensions and claims of betrayal within its top ranks.
Following the NWC’s suspension of Anyanwu and the others for alleged anti-party activities, Anyanwu’s faction moved quickly to suspend Damagum, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba and other senior officials, including Taofeek Arapaja, Daniel Woyenguikoro, Sulaiman Kadade and Setonji Koshoedo.
On Monday, November 3, 2025, Abdulrahman Mohammed, vice-chairman for the North Central zone and one of those suspended by the NWC, declared himself acting national chairman at the party secretariat, surrounded by loyalists who demanded Damagum’s resignation.
Anyanwu’s faction has claimed the move was necessary to restore “order and legitimacy” within the party, alleging that Damagum’s leadership has been compromised.
Damagum, however, insists the attempted takeover was illegal and violent, urging the police to investigate and prosecute those involved.
