PDP Chairman Turaki calls on President Trump for help, says Nigeria’s democracy under threat
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki, has appealed to the US President Donald Trump and the international community to help combat the current threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
He made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday in response to the escalating crisis rocking the PDP internally, which some have alleged as being fanned by forces external to the party.
While addressing journalists, Turaki accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of leading armed thugs to disrupt party activities at the PDP secretariat with complicity from the police.
This was before Turaki’s attempt to hold a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the secretariat with the newly constituted National Working Committee (NWC), stating that the current situation called for global intervention.
“I want to call on President Trump. What is at stake is not just genocide against Christians. He should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat. I am calling all other developed nations, all advanced democracy, come and save Nigeria.
“I have said it, we are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect democracy and to protect our mandate,” Turaki said.
The PDP Chairman made the call moments before commotion erupted at the PDP national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, with the scheduling of parallel meetings by the Nyesom Wike-backed faction, led by Samuel Anyanwu, resulting in tensed verbal exchanges, as both camps struggled for control of the premises.
Security personnel from the Nigerian Police Force, unable to resolve the crisis, ordered both factions to vacate the premises, and to disperse the crowd, fired teargas into the air.
Tension heightened outside the secretariat when supporters from both camps began to wield objects in order to attack one another.
While the battle for the control of the PDP rages, commentators and onlookers are taken aback by the degenerated state of politics in the country, while calling on the international community for intervention.
