The special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has taken aim at Kabiru Turaki, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On Tuesday, the newly installed leader of a faction within the PDP urged US President Donald Trump to step in amid the party’s escalating internal crisis.
BACKGROUND
Speaking to journalists after gaining access to the PDP national headquarters in Abuja—following a tense standoff between supporters of opposing factions—Turaki made an appeal for international assistance.
He called on Trump and the global community to help prevent the collapse of Nigeria’s democracy.
“I want to call on President Trump; what is at stake is not just genocide against Nigerian Christians,” Turaki had said.
“He should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat. I’m calling on all other developed nations: come and save Nigeria, come and save democracy.”
‘HIGH TREASON’
Onanuga said Turaki’s remarks would remain memorable for the wrong reasons.
“We shall never forget this video: the day a Nigerian politician committed high treason for calling for a foreign invasion of Nigeria, all because of an intra-party dispute,” the president’s aide wrote.
Two weeks earlier, Trump had threatened military intervention in Nigeria if the federal “government continues to allow the killing of Christians”.
The US leader had vowed to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities”.
MAYHEM AT PDP HEADQUARTERS
Turbulence erupted at the PDP headquarters on Tuesday as police deployed teargas to disperse clashes between supporters of rival blocs.
The faction allied with Nyesom Wike and the newly elected national working committee (NWC) led by Turaki had both scheduled meetings at Wadata Plaza on the same day.
Turaki accused Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), of using thugs wielding cudgels who positioned themselves at the gate while chanting protest songs.
He further alleged that police officers provided cover for those instigating the disorder.
Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary of the Wike faction, arrived with his group for their scheduled board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC) sessions.
Police officers struggled to contain the swelling chaos before eventually ordering everyone out of the premises.
Officers later fired teargas as supporters from both sides engaged in physical altercations outside the building.