Newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki, has assured party members and Nigerians that the opposition party is prepared for the demanding task of rebuilding its structures, strengthening internal democracy, and reclaiming public confidence.
Turaki delivered the pledge in his acceptance speech early Sunday after clinching the top position at the PDP National Convention in Ibadan, where delegates from across the federation gathered for the party’s leadership contest.
The former Minister of Special Duties secured a commanding 1,516 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Senator Yakubu Danmarke, who polled 275 votes.
Convention returning officer, Senator Ben Obi, confirmed the results at the Lekan Salami Stadium, which hosted thousands of delegates and observers.
The two-day convention, which began on November 15 and continued into the early hours of the 16th, attracted more than 3,000 delegates representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a speech that signalled both caution and optimism, Turaki acknowledged the weight of expectation resting on the new National Working Committee.
“We are fully aware that the responsibility before us is not a simple one.
“Our party stands at a defining moment, but we are prepared for the task.
”The mandate you have given us will be taken directly to the Nigerian people, and we intend to deliver, ” he said.
He hinted that the party’s new leadership blueprint would be unveiled soon, noting that once the framework is released, the PDP intends to “hit the ground running from day one.”
Turaki praised the enduring identity of the PDP, emphasising that despite years of internal wrangling and electoral challenges, the party had remained rooted in its founding principles.
“Today, the Peoples Democratic Party is the only political organisation that has retained its original name because it has remained the party of the Nigerian people,” he said.
He assured members that his leadership would return authority to the grassroots and end a culture of impunity that had, at times, weakened the PDP.
“The confidence you have placed in us will not be taken for granted. This party belongs to you, and our role is to serve in line with that understanding,” he added.
Turaki’s emergence comes at a period of renewed introspection for the PDP as it attempts to reposition itself as a credible alternative on the national stage.
The new chairman is expected to confront challenges ranging from internal divisions to the need for a clearer ideological direction.
For many delegates, the convention marked an opportunity to restore unity and strengthen the party’s national presence goals Turaki has pledged to prioritise immediately.
