The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has sharply criticized the factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, for publicly calling on former U.S. President Donald Trump and other advanced democracies to intervene in Nigeria’s political affairs.
Turaki, addressing journalists after the postponement of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja amid internal party clashes, had appealed, “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 on all other developed nations, all advanced democracies, come and save Nigeria, come and save democracy.”
The NEC meeting, the first under Turaki’s leadership, was derailed by chaos at the party’s national secretariat and rescheduled after rival factions battled to control the venue. As the altercation intensified, police fired teargas, and prominent party leaders, including Wike, clashed with the new PDP leadership, leading to heightened security interventions.
Responding, Wike dismissed Turaki’s alarm and allegations as “dangerous and irresponsible political rhetoric.” Wike insisted that the nation’s democratic system remains robust and not under any existential threat. “There is no threat to Nigeria’s democracy. Statements like these do more harm than good to the country’s image and stability. We must not internationalize our domestic challenges or invite foreign interference,” the FCT Minister stated.
Wike, who was expelled from the PDP alongside several party stalwarts at the controversial Ibadan convention, further accused Turaki of exaggerating the situation for political effect. He stressed, “Nigerians must reject desperate attempts to cast doubt on our democratic institutions and security. These claims of genocide and impending collapse are unfounded. Our democracy is firm and resilient.”
As tensions simmered, Turaki stood by his narrative, arguing, “I have said it, we are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect democracy, to protect our mandate. To Nigerians, you’re watching what is happening, international community, you’re seeing the threat that Nigeria democracy is, come and save us.”
The dramatic standoff at the PDP secretariat underscores the deep divisions within the party, as well as differing perceptions of the country’s political stability. While Turaki continues to sound the alarm for international intervention, Wike and allied opposition figures have urged restraint and reaffirmed confidence in Nigeria’s democratic endurance and sovereignty.
