Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), signaling a potential shake-up in the party’s leadership dynamics.
Lamido is expected to pick up his nomination form on Monday, October 27, at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, he confirmed in an interview with Thisday.
Lamido’s entry casts doubt over the previously anticipated consensus candidacy of former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.
Turaki’s path to the top job had been largely seen as smooth, backed by several northern PDP leaders.
However, sources over the weekend indicated that PDP chapters in the North-west were unhappy with Turaki’s nomination.
The Kebbi State chapter, in particular, publicly rejected the purported endorsement of Turaki as the northern consensus candidate.
The decision followed an emergency state party meeting held on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi.
According to a statement by the State Publicity Secretary, Sani Dododo, the Kebbi chapter was not consulted on the matter, with Turaki having neither engaged with the chapter nor participated in recent party activities within the state.
“Kabiru Tanimu has never reached out to the Kebbi State chapter regarding his ambition.
”He has also not participated in any recent party activities within the state. Accordingly, the Kebbi State chapter outrightly rejects the purported adoption of the former minister as the consensus candidate.”
Last week, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, had also described Turaki’s nomination as an imposition, raising concerns about internal party democracy.
The Northern PDP leaders had earlier endorsed Turaki at a meeting in Abuja attended by PDP governors, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, and other northern stakeholders, with the national convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan.
Meanwhile, the South-east zone has threatened to boycott the party’s national convention over perceived attempts to undermine its zoned positions.
Lawmakers in the National Assembly from the region warned that the position of National Woman Leader, originally zoned to Imo State, was at risk of being hijacked by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, representing the South-south.
The position was initially expected to go to Mrs. Arodiogbu Ifeyinwa, the current South-east zonal woman leader, following a nomination process backed by South-east PDP chieftains.
However, controversies emerged after Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State allegedly influenced the zoning to favor an Enugu woman who recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), sidelining Imo State’s candidate.
Hon. Imo Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives, stated that South-east lawmakers would issue a formal disclaimer against the convention within two weeks if the zonal arrangement was ignored.
He emphasised that no elected lawmaker from the region would remain in the PDP if their position was compromised, urging the party to rectify the situation before the screening scheduled for Tuesday next week.
“The current South-east zonal woman leader, Ifeyinwa Arodiogbu, was unanimously backed by South-east PDP chieftains to clinch the position.
However, with Governor Mbah now in APC, that earlier arrangement is no longer valid.
”We insist that the position of National Woman Leader must go to Imo State, and an Imo person must emerge,” Ugochinyere said.
As the PDP navigates these internal disputes, the race for its national leadership is shaping up to be highly competitive, with regional tensions and zoning controversies threatening to overshadow the upcoming Ibadan convention.
