The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party took another turn on Tuesday as the factional National Executive Committee loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ratified the expulsion of Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State.

The NEC also expelled former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; former National Vice Chairman of the party, Bode George, and the recently elected party National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, SAN.

The move comes just days after the controversial PDP national convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last Saturday, which saw Wike and his loyalists expelled from the party.

The development triggered Tuesday’s heated confrontation between both camps at the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, Abuja, where the two factions had scheduled parallel NEC and Board of Trustees meetings.

While Wike’s lotalists had a free access to the Secretariat, it took a physical engagements before Governors Wike and Bala could gain access into the Secretariat.

The factional NEC, at its meeting held at the national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, also dissolved the state executive councils in Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, and Ekiti States, directing the constitution of caretaker committees and the conduct of fresh congresses.

A communiqué from the meeting, read by the expelled National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, stated, “NEC received the report of the Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, detailing breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct bringing the party into disrepute.

“NEC approved the commencement of disciplinary procedures against the following: Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben N. Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, Setonji Koshoedo, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel, and Emmanuel Enorden.”

Meanwhile, the newly elected factional National Chairman of the Party, Kabiru Turaki, has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and the international community to intervene in Nigeria’s worsening political situation.

He warned that the nation’s democracy was “under threat” amid an escalating internal crisis within the PDP that erupted into chaos in Abuja.

Speaking to journalists outside the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza on Tuesday, Turaki described the country’s political situation as so dire and alarming that it necessitated urgent international attention and intervention.

Turaki also accused the faction loyal to Wike of mobilising armed thugs to disrupt party activities and prevent his faction from accessing the premises.

He said, “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 all other developed nations, all advanced democracies, come and save Nigeria.”

Turaki further declared that his faction’s leaders were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the party’s mandate and Nigeria’s democracy.

“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 added.

The teargas caused panic, with party members, staff, and journalists coughing and fleeing in disarray.

Outside the secretariat, supporters from the opposing camps continued their clash, which further intensified the standoff around the troubled opposition party.