The presidency on Tuesday accused Tanimu Turaki, the new factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of committing “high treason” punishable by death for inviting American President Donald Trump to intervene in Nigerian democracy following the crisis rocking the opposition party.

Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, in a post on X on Tuesday, shared the video of Mr Turaki calling on Mr Trump to invade Nigeria amid a clash at the PDP secretariat.

“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,” Mr Onanuga said.

Treason is punishable by death under Nigerian law.

In the video, Mr Turaki, who emerged as chairman of the PDP over the weekend, called on foreign powers to save Nigerian democracy over a leadership tussle at the party secretariat on Tuesday.

“We want to call on President Trump. What is at stake is not just Christian genocide; he should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat. I’m calling on all other developed nations to come and save democracy in Nigeria,” Mr Turaki said.

He added, “I cannot understand how a serving minister will be leading thugs with connivance of the police to come and create mayhem here.”

A leadership tussle in the PDP saw two factions clash at the party’s secretariat on Tuesday.