A scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was on Monday disrupted by armed security operatives who sealed off the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja. The officers, drawn from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), cited “orders from above” as the reason for the blockade.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation, with many accusing the federal government of interfering in the internal affairs of the main opposition party.
The BoT meeting was convened to address the party’s worsening leadership crisis, particularly issues surrounding the controversial reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and the proposed 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. However, members were prevented from entering the premises and accessing the main hall.
Among those denied entry was Chief Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman (South West) and prominent BoT member, who lambasted the move and described it as a violation of democratic norms.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, Chief George decried what he termed “creeping authoritarianism,” drawing parallels to totalitarian regimes.
“Do you want to turn us into North Korea? Or transform this country into Russia? We will not allow it. Nigerians will not allow it,” he declared.
He insisted that the BoT meeting would still hold, despite the obstruction.
“Of course, we will hold the meeting today. We will hold the meeting,” he said firmly.
According to George, the security operatives claimed they were acting on contradictory notices issued the previous day and were deployed to maintain order. But he dismissed the explanation, implying that the true motive was political.
“You can hear it—you know biblically. This is the voice of Jacob, but the hand of Esau. Whoever issued the order from above, we’ve heard it before,” he remarked.
He called for restraint and urged the government to respect democratic processes, warning that continued external interference would only exacerbate the crisis within the PDP.
“The PDP is not a private enterprise. You don’t resolve its issues from the outside. You must sit down and talk,” he said.
George further urged the federal government to redirect its attention to Nigeria’s deepening socioeconomic challenges.
“We have more pressing problems—economic, financial, educational, and infrastructural. They should focus on those,” he added.
The blockade has intensified concerns about the shrinking space for opposition politics in Nigeria. Civil society actors and political observers warn that the use of state security forces to obstruct lawful political activities poses a threat to democratic governance.
“Let them be very careful. Everyone must be allowed to act in accordance with the law of the land,” Chief George warned.
As of the time of filing this report, the disrupted BoT meeting has been relocated to the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District.
