Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has officially petitioned Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun after what he describes as an attempted, forceful takeover of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. In a petition dated October 3, Damagum alleges that suspended national secretary Samuel (Sam) Anyanwu led a group of armed men into the headquarters in a bid to impose a rival, factional leadership on the party.
According to the petition, the incursion was deliberate and coordinated. Damagum said Anyanwu and his supporters gained access to restricted areas of the secretariat and attempted to stage a leadership installation, an action the chairman says was designed to undermine the PDP’s established processes and spark internal chaos.
Beyond Anyanwu, Damagum’s submission names several suspended party officials whom he accuses of being complicit in the plot. Those named include Abdulrahman Mohammed, vice chairman for the North Central zone; Kamaldeen Ajibade, national legal adviser; Okechukwu Osuoha, deputy legal adviser; and Umaru Bature, national organising secretary. The petition requests a thorough criminal investigation into their alleged roles.
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Damagum urged the IGP to treat the matter with urgency, stressing that the rule of law must be upheld and that political disputes should not be settled by force or intimidation. He asked for police protection of the secretariat and called for accountability for anyone found to have breached peace and security regulations.
The allegation comes amid mounting tensions within the PDP over leadership and legitimacy, with rival camps increasingly trading accusations. Party insiders say the episode risks widening existing fractures and could have wider implications for party cohesion if not addressed swiftly and transparently.
Sources inside the secretariat said security personnel were deployed after the disturbance, and efforts were made to restore normal operations. A police response or formal statement to Damagum’s petition had not been publicly released at the time of filing; the petition asks that authorities preserve any CCTV footage and other evidence from the scene.
Political analysts suggest the incident highlights the fragile state of internal party dispute resolution in major Nigerian parties, where legal and institutional channels sometimes struggle to resolve high-stakes leadership conflicts. They warn that unresolved disputes can spill into public incidents that damage party credibility ahead of future electoral contests.
Damagum reiterated his commitment to resolving the dispute within the boundaries of law and party rules, emphasizing that the PDP’s leadership must be determined by its constitution and democratic procedures—not by intimidation or street-level shows of force.
The petition to the IGP now places the matter squarely in the hands of law enforcement. Damagum’s camp says they will pursue legal remedies if the police investigation does not lead to appropriate action. Meanwhile, party members and observers continue to watch developments closely for signs of whether the episode will deepen factional divides or prompt a negotiated resolution.
