Supporters of the factional acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Abdulrahman, staged a protest on Monday at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja.

According to a report by PUNCH Online, the protesters, who chanted solidarity songs, demanded that the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Umar Damagum vacate the headquarters immediately.

Last week, Abdulrahman was named acting national chairman amid a deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, which also saw the suspension of the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, for one month.

In a dramatic twist, a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, met separately in Abuja and announced the suspension of the Damagum-led NWC.

The protesters accused the Damagum leadership of mismanaging the party’s affairs and vowed to reclaim control of the secretariat for the Abdulrahman-led faction. Security operatives were deployed to the area to prevent any breakdown of law and order as both sides struggled for control of the party’s headquarters.

PUNCH reports that the Abdulrahman faction has since taken control of the PDP National Chairman’s office. Speaking to journalists, Abdulrahman pledged to unite and reposition the party ahead of the next general elections, assuring members of his commitment to the PDP’s progress.