The newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabir Tanimu-Turaki, made a dramatic appeal to the international community on Tuesday, urgently calling on United States President Donald Trump and other world leaders to intervene and salvage Nigeria's democratic system.
Factional Clashes at Party Secretariat
The plea came amidst intense factional fighting at the PDP's national secretariat, Wadata Plaza in Abuja. Turaki, while addressing journalists, pointed a direct finger at Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), accusing him of spearheading efforts to disrupt the party's operations. He asserted that members of his faction were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the party's office and its mandate.
"I want to call on President Trump. What is at stake is not just genocide against Nigerian Christians. He should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat," Turaki declared passionately. He extended his call to other advanced democracies, urging them to act swiftly to prevent a collapse.
Roots of the Political Conflict
The current turmoil is a direct consequence of the party's convention held in Ibadan, which saw the election of Turaki as the national chairman. This outcome is being fiercely contested by a rival faction loyal to Minister Nyesom Wike. During the convention on Saturday, the party took decisive action by expelling several high-profile members, including Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, and the party's National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities.
The convention, presided over by the then-National Chairman Umar Damagun, also removed Mohammed Abdulrahman, the factional chairman who was aligned with Wike's camp.
Dueling Meetings and Heightened Security
The political standoff escalated as both factions scheduled conflicting meetings for Tuesday. Turaki's National Working Committee (NWC) planned an inaugural meeting with stakeholders for 10 a.m.. In a counter-move, the rival Abdulrahman-led faction called for emergency meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.
The tension was palpable at the secretariat. A significant security presence was observed, with personnel from the Mobile Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) deployed to strategic locations. Patrol vehicles were stationed on nearby roads to monitor the situation.
Inside the building, the suspended National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, managed to gain access as accreditation for the NEC meeting was underway. Outside the gates, protesters who oppose Turaki's leadership made their voices heard, carrying placards with messages like "No to Turaki" and "Turaki must go."
This deepening crisis within one of Nigeria's major political parties signals a precarious moment for the nation's political stability, prompting its new leader to seek unprecedented international assistance to protect its democratic foundations.
