‘Trump Save Nigerian Democracy’ – PDP Chairman Pleads After Clash At Party HQ

The newly elected chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki, has called on the US President, Donald Trump, to intervene to save Nigerian democracy.

Turaki made the call on Tuesday at Wadata Plaza, PDP headquarters, during its first National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.

The meeting, which commenced under a tense atmosphere, was later disrupted when police threw tear gas canisters to disperse the Turaki-led NWC.

Shortly before Turaki led his team to the meeting, the former National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu – who was suspended and later expelled at the National Convention of the party in Ibadan, Oyo State – had occupied the secretariat with his parallel NWC members for his Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting.

Anyanwu’s team is backed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Upon hearing of the presence of Turaki, Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and others, Wike rushed to the PDP headquarters, further deepening the clash.

Chaos soon ensued as the police dispersed party members with the aid of tear gas canisters.

However, speaking at the party office, Turaki said the party had come under attack from security operatives, who, according to him, used force against members trying to access the headquarters.

He claimed that some PDP members who attempted to attend the meeting were “shot by the police,” adding that the incident showed how far institutions had deteriorated.

The PDP chairman said the situation required urgent global attention, warning that “democracy in Nigeria is under severe threat.”

“Can you see that the minister of FCT (Wike) has been granted access — a person that has been expelled?” Turaki asked.

“Some of our governors have been teargassed; some of our members who came here to attend a meeting that has been lawfully called have been teargassed.”

Turaki called on the international community to intervene, saying, “They should come and save democracy in Nigeria.”

“We will now be calling on the international community. I want to call on President Trump,” he said.

“What is at stake is not our genocide against Nigerian Christians. They should come and save democracy in Nigeria.

“Democracy is at stake. I’m calling on all other developed nations: come and save Nigeria, come and save democracy.”

He said the party will not be intimidated, noting that its members were prepared to defend their mandate.

“We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, to protect our mandate,” he added.

He accused Wike of sponsoring thugs to disrupt activities at the party headquarters.

He also alleged that the police provided cover for persons behind the unrest.

Turaki said Nigerians are witnessing events that pose “a grave danger” to the political system, adding that the party would resist efforts to silence it.