Some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the United States Embassy in Abuja.
The protesters appealed to the international community to help safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and stop what they described as a slide toward a one-party system.
Protesters Submit Letters to Embassies and Ministry
The demonstrators submitted protest letters to the US Embassy, the European Union complex, and the Ministry of Justice.
They carried placards urging the international community and Nigerian authorities to intervene and protect the nation’s democracy and judiciary.
They accused the ruling party of intimidating opposition members and creating conditions that could lead to a one-party state.
PDP Crisis Deepens Amid Protests
The opposition party has been in turmoil for over two years.
The internal crisis worsened over the weekend when the national chairman, Umar Damagum, and some National Working Committee (NWC) members suspended the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and other key officials.
In a quick response, Anyanwu led another faction of the NWC to suspend Damagum, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, and four other senior officials, intensifying the leadership struggle.
On Monday, Anyanwu’s faction, led by acting national chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, resumed duties at the PDP national headquarters, while Damagum and his loyalists were absent.