597
By Myke Agunwa
Northern stakeholders and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have endorsed former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Tanimu Turaki as the consensus candidate for the position of the party’s National Chairman ahead of its forthcoming convention.
The announcement was made by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State on behalf of the northern zone at the end of a meeting of PDP leaders held in Abuja on Wednesday night. Fintiri noted that while Turaki emerged through consensus, any aspirant dissatisfied with the arrangement is free to contest during the national convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“We have met this evening to deliberate and take decision on the office of the chairman of our great party, the PDP, which was zoned to the north.
“And in our meeting, we have reflected deeply and widely through consultation and going to Ibadan for our national convention, we have adopted a consensus candidate to represent the North, and by extension, Nigeria, as the chairman of the PDP.
“And that gentleman is Tanimu Turaki, SAN. This is our decision this evening, and he is the person we are presenting at that convention as our chairman to represent our party, on the 15 and 16 of November in Ibadan” he said.
Turaki, a distinguished legal luminary, boasts a wide-ranging career spanning constitutional law, election petition litigation, commercial arbitration, international criminal law, intellectual property, oil and gas, mergers, and acquisitions. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he also served as Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prominent northern leaders at the meeting included Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, and the PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The 102nd meeting of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) held on August 25 in Abuja zoned the 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the National Chairmanship to the North, while the office of the National Secretary was reserved for the South. The NEC also advised the six geopolitical zones to microzone remaining positions in the interest of equity and fairness.
Following this directive, the northern bloc micro-zoned the chairmanship to the North-West, a decision that initially attracted interest from several influential figures, including former governors Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano) and Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna).
However, internal disagreement has persisted, particularly from the North-Central zone, which, backed by the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, insists the region should complete the tenure vacated by former National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu. The bloc is reportedly supporting former Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, for the position.
Meanwhile, the planned convention faces a possible legal setback following a lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by three PDP officials — Austine Nwachukwu (Imo State Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia State Chairman), and Turnah George (South-South Secretary).
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, the plaintiffs, believed to be close allies of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, are seeking an order to restrain the party from proceeding with the national convention, arguing that it violates certain constitutional provisions.
The court has fixed October 31 for hearing the matter.