By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

Suspected thugs on Saturday disrupted a gathering of the Kabiru Turaki-led factional Interim National Working Committee (NWC) and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the A-Class Event Centre in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred shortly after the factional leaders had relocated from their initial venue to interact with police personnel deployed to the area.

The Turaki-led group had earlier gathered at the faction party’s Area 10 office in Abuja to hold its Special National Convention, where they ratified former President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

According to the party leaders, the uuse of Area 10 office became necessary after security personnel barricaded the A-Class Event Centre, which was originally scheduled to host the convention.

After the short ceremony for the ratification of Jonathan’s candidacy, the party leadership moved back to the A-Class Event Centre for what they term as engagement with the police officers stationed at the venue.

However, shortly after Turaki concluded his remarks at the scene, hoodlums arriving in two coaster buses armed with heavy sticks launched a sudden assault on the party officials, who were already returning to their vehicles.

The violent attack forced party leaders, journalists, and other stakeholders to flee the scene for safety, during which a mobile phone of one of the journalists was snatched by the thugs.

Peace was later restored following the intervention of the police and other security personnel at the venue.

Earlier in his address before the attack, Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said that the PDP members have the right to associate and meet as provided for by the Nigeria Constitution.

Speaking at the venue, Turaki noted that the group was not interested in violent confrontations, stating that the party would instead fight with its votes during the general elections.

“No matter how highly opinionated they may be about themselves, or no matter how they think that they can use their positions to thwart democracy, we want to tell them that Nigeria is bigger than anybody and any group of persons.

“We will not fight. The time of fighting will come when we meet at the polls. We will meet you there, we’ll fight you there, we’ll defeat you there, and then we will pin you down on the ground,” he said.

Turaki urged the party faithful to remain peaceful and reject any form of provocation as they returned to their destinations.

“I want to plead with our delegates, please go back to your respective destinations. Resist any amount of provocation.

“Any person you see trying to fight, believe that he does not have the chances of winning. We believe we are on the right course. We believe that we are going to win the election. Therefore, fighting is not for us,” he said.

He commended party leaders and members for turning out in their number for the 2026 special national convention. (NAN)

•Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, collected the Certificate of Return on behalf of former President Goodluck Jonathan at a private residence in Area 10, Abuja.

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