A staff member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Thomas Ibu, was on Monday reportedly manhandled and arrested by police officers at the party's national secretariat in Abuja, amid growing tensions over the scheduled 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Armed police officers were seen surrounding and detaining Ibu, who works in the party’s Publicity Department. Attempts by other PDP staff to intervene were unsuccessful, as the officers overpowered them and took Ibu away.

The reason for his arrest had not been disclosed at the time of filing this report.

The incident occurred as security was significantly heightened around the PDP headquarters, with more than 70 armed police officers deployed as early as 8:30 a.m. The street leading to the secretariat was barricaded with police trucks, and youths loitering around the premises were dispersed.

Earlier reports indicated that entry to the secretariat was restricted, with many staff asked to vacate the premises. A few arriving later were permitted to remain.

The tension coincides with an internal dispute over the holding of the party’s 100th NEC meeting. On Sunday night, two top party officials issued conflicting statements about the meeting.

Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, insisted that the NEC meeting would go ahead as planned. “The National Working Committee (NWC) assures all party members that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled tomorrow, Monday, June 30, 2025, at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza,” Arapaja told journalists at a press briefing in Abuja.

His statement countered a notice earlier issued by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who announced a “Special Expanded National Caucus Meeting” in place of the NEC session. The alternate meeting was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Monday and expected to include former governors, past gubernatorial candidates, ex-NWC members, state party chairmen, and PDP lawmakers.

Meanwhile, some NEC and Board of Trustees (BoT) members, including Hajia Maina Ciroma, were reportedly denied entry into the secretariat on Monday morning.