Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the North West zone have dismissed the reported adoption of former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, as the party’s consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman.
The rejection followed reports that northern PDP stakeholders had endorsed Turaki after a meeting convened by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri.
Addressing journalists after a separate meeting in Abuja, the North West PDP leaders said the alleged endorsement did not reflect the collective position of stakeholders from the zone.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, accused Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, of acting unilaterally without consulting other key leaders.
According to Bature, Governor Lawal had initially called for a meeting to deliberate on possible candidates for the chairmanship position zoned to the North West but later postponed the meeting and went ahead to adopt a candidate on his own.
“We want to make it clear that this zone has not adopted anybody as a candidate for the PDP chairmanship. There is a lot of resentment due to lack of consultation among leaders in this zone,” Bature said.
He added that the process leading to Turaki’s purported endorsement was inconsistent with the principle of consensus, stressing that no formal meeting had been held to agree on a candidate for the region.
The North West leaders also questioned the credibility of the so-called “open contest” when, according to them, a candidate had already been handpicked, describing the move as one that undermines internal democracy within the PDP.
Those present at the Abuja meeting included Mustapha Lamido, son of former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido; Kaduna State 2023 governorship candidate Isa Ashiru; Katsina State 2023 candidate Garba Lado; and several other prominent leaders from the zone.
The latest disagreement highlights ongoing divisions within the PDP, with factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and those aligned with the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, reportedly positioning themselves ahead of the party’s forthcoming convention.
