A fight broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, as a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) turned violent. The altercation began when Sunday Ude-Okoye, a party chieftain, was denied access to the meeting.

The PDP has been embroiled in a fresh leadership crisis, with both Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye laying claim to the position of national secretary. In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled that Ude-Okoye should replace Anyanwu as the PDP national secretary.

However, Anyanwu has refused to vacate the office, claiming that he has appealed the judgment and filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court. This has led to a showdown between the two factions, with Ude-Okoye attempting to force his way into the meeting.

According to eyewitnesses, Ude-Okoye’s supporters scaled the fence into the secretariat premises, overpowering security personnel and Anyanwu’s aides. The situation was eventually brought under control, but not before the meeting was disrupted.

Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the BoT, and Umar Damagum, PDP chairman, were among the party members attending the meeting. Ude-Okoye is currently outside the BoT meeting hall with his supporters.

Security has been beefed up at the PDP headquarters, with police and military vans patrolling the area to maintain order. The leadership crisis in the PDP is expected to continue, with both factions refusing to back down.