Olayiwola Matthew
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has criticised Kabiru Turaki, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On Tuesday, Turaki, who leads a faction of the PDP, called on US President Donald Trump to intervene in the party’s internal crisis.
Addressing journalists after gaining entry into the PDP headquarters in Abuja following a long-running clash between rival supporters, Turaki appealed for international assistance.
He urged Trump and the global community to prevent what he described as a threat to 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.”
Onanuga responded that Turaki’s remarks amounted to a grievous act.
“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 warned of potential military action in Nigeria if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians”.
The US president had vowed to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities”.
Tensions escalated at the PDP headquarters on Tuesday as police deployed teargas to disperse clashes between opposing party supporters.
The faction aligned with Nyesom Wike and the newly elected national working committee (NWC) led by Turaki had scheduled separate meetings at Wadata Plaza on the same day.
Turaki accused Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), of mobilising thugs carrying cudgels who gathered at the gate while chanting protest songs.
He also alleged that police officers shielded individuals responsible for the disturbances.
Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary of the Wike faction, arrived with his group for their planned board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC) meetings.
Police struggled to maintain order as the crowd grew increasingly agitated before ordering all groups to vacate the premises.
Officers later fired teargas outside the building as supporters from both camps exchanged blows.