Photo File: PDP FLAG

The newly elected factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kabiru Turaki, has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and the international community to intervene in what he described as Nigeria’s deteriorating political situation.

He warned that the nation’s democracy was under serious threat as the internal conflict within the Peoples Democratic Party escalated into open confrontation in Abuja.

Speaking to journalists outside the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza today, Turaki said the political atmosphere in the country had become so dire and alarming that it required urgent attention and intervention from the international community.

Turaki accused the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of mobilising armed thugs to disrupt party activities and to stop his own faction from entering the secretariat.

He said, I want to call on President Trump. What is at stake is not only the issue of genocide against Christians. He should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat. I am calling on all other developed nations and all advanced democracies to come and save Nigeria.

Turaki added that leaders in his faction were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the party’s mandate and the nation’s democratic values.

I have said it. We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect democracy and to protect our mandate, he stated. His comments came shortly before rival groups clashed at the secretariat, where both the Turaki led National Working Committee and the Wike backed group led by the factional National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu had scheduled separate National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees meetings for the same day.

Teargas fired during the confrontation caused widespread panic, forcing party members, staff and journalists to cough and run for safety.

Outside the building, supporters from the two camps continued to face off, further heightening the tension surrounding the already troubled opposition party.