The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) swiftly altered its convention venue on Saturday, executing a rapid exercise to ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its official presidential torchbearer for the 2027 general elections.
This abrupt adjustment was triggered after security personnel deployed police vehicles to completely cut off access to the A-Class Event Centre in Abuja, the initial venue secured by the faction for the gathering.
The restructured event, which wrapped up in under 20 minutes, saw a close associate of Jonathan, Fred Agbedi, step forward to accept the certificate of returns on behalf of the former president.
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A cross-section of party stalwarts aligned with the Turaki camp attended the brief ceremony, including Professor Jerry Gana, Tanimu Turaki himself, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and numerous other prominent figures.
Earlier in the day, law enforcement agents had strategically placed several operational vans to completely plug the two primary entry routes connecting the Wuse and Maitama axes to the compound of the original event venue.
The rigorous street blockade restricted movement not only for the pro-Turaki PDP delegates but also for everyday motorists who were entirely unrelated to the political assembly.
The intense security clampdown came on the heels of an explicit Friday directive from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who warned hospitality operators and venue owners across the capital city against hosting unauthorized political associations or organizations, citing overriding safety risks within the FCT.
In a swift counter-reaction, the PDP put out an official dispatch accusing Wike of a high-handed attempt to cripple its scheduled political program.
According to the statement, the party said the management of A Class Event Centre informed it that pressure was being mounted on the venue to stop the gathering from taking place.
Party administrators maintained that they had fully settled the financial obligations for the venue hire and satisfied all baseline requirements to utilize the facility.
They added that relevant law enforcement arms had been formally served notices regarding the convention, which was set for Saturday, May 30, 2026, in the Wuse 2 district of Abuja.
The opposition group stood its ground, declaring that its activities would advance regardless of what it termed blatant intimidation tactics.
