The Nigeria Police Force has sealed off the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following hours of a tense standoff between the rival factions engulfed in the party’s leadership crisis.

Truckloads of policemen were deployed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command to prevent a breakdown of law and order, as the two factions, each laying claim to the party’s leadership planned to hold parallel meetings at the secretariat.

The faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had taken control of the premises early Tuesday morning, commencing accreditation for members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC).

However, around 11 a.m., the opposing faction arrived with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; and the newly elected National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki. They moved into the PDP NEC Hall and forced out members of the Wike-backed group who had been preparing to hold a meeting.

Turaki and his team later addressed the press, announcing the postponement of the inaugural meeting of the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC), citing an “unconducive environment.”

The situation escalated further when Wike arrived at the secretariat just as Turaki and his entourage were preparing to depart. Both groups refused to vacate the premises despite appeals from the FCT Commissioner of Police.

At about 12:45 p.m., police fired teargas to disperse all parties and subsequently locked up the secretariat.