Police Seal Off Abuja Venue For Jonathan’s Ratification As PDP Presidential Candidate

Security operatives on Saturday sealed off the A-Class Event Centre in Abuja, the proposed venue of a special convention organised by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, where former President Goodluck Jonathan was expected to be ratified as the party’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

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Police officers barricaded all access routes leading to the facility, deploying several patrol vans to block entry from both the Wuse and Maitama axes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The action effectively prevented party members, delegates, and supporters expected at the convention from gaining access to the venue. Other motorists and road users were also affected by the restrictions.

A police officer stationed at the entrance of the event centre told LEADERSHIP Weekend that no political event had been approved to hold at the facility.

“There is no such event holding here today,” the officer said when asked about the planned PDP gathering.

The development came barely 24 hours after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, warned hotels, event centres, and owners of public facilities against allowing their premises to be used by what he described as illegal organisations.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister stressed that land allocations within the FCT were meant strictly for lawful activities and warned that violators risked losing their property titles.

“Going forward, the title documents of any event centre, hotel, or public building used for the gathering of illegal organisations will be revoked,” the statement said.

According to Olayinka, the directive forms part of efforts to strengthen security and support law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and public order within the nation’s capital.

He added that authorities would closely monitor the use of public venues to prevent gatherings capable of undermining security or disrupting public order.

With political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gathering momentum, the FCT Administration also urged owners of hotels and event centres to transact only with the leadership of political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and to maintain proper documentation of all bookings.

“Owners of these facilities are therefore urged to take cognisance of the legality of organisations seeking to use their facilities and their intended purpose before letting them out,” Olayinka stated.

“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the revocation of the title documents of such properties.”

The warning came a day before the Turaki-led PDP faction scheduled its convention to formally endorse former President Goodluck Jonathan as its consensus presidential candidate at the Abuja venue.

The factional move is expected to deepen divisions within the opposition party, as another bloc reportedly aligned with Wike has already adopted Sandy Onor as its preferred presidential candidate.