PDP North West Leaders Reject Turaki’s Endorsement as Consensus Chairman

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North West zone have rejected the endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the region’s consensus candidate for national chairman.

At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday night, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, speaking on behalf of North West stakeholders, described Turaki’s adoption as unilateral and unrepresentative of the collective decision of the zone.

Bature clarified that the North West had not held any meeting to agree on a candidate, insisting that their preferred aspirant would be announced later. “The North West has not met to agree on that position. That’s why we came for this meeting, and unfortunately, that meeting again was postponed,” he said. “We want to make it clear that this zone has not adopted anybody as its candidate for the position of PDP National Chairman.”

The controversy follows Wednesday’s announcement by the Chairman of the PDP National Convention Organising Committee and Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who said that Turaki had been adopted as the consensus candidate by northern leaders and governors ahead of the party’s national convention in November. Fintiri had, however, noted that any aspirant unhappy with the decision was free to contest.

Bature accused the northern leaders and governors of acting without consultation. “We believe we are the strongest zone in the PDP, and the attitude of our leaders in this regard made us take this position that we disagree with the governors’ position. We will have our own candidate for that position,” he said.

He further argued that a genuine consensus could only emerge through broad consultation, not imposition. “Consensus is made by consultation. We have not been consulted. The governor himself zoned these positions to the North West, but instead of meeting with us, he adopted a candidate. As far as we are concerned, we do not have a recognised North West candidate,” Bature added.

The party had previously zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the position of national chairman to the North during its National Executive Committee meeting in August. Northern leaders later micro-zoned the chairmanship slot to the North West.

Among those present at Thursday’s press briefing were former National Secretary Ibrahim Tsauri, Mustapha Lamido (son of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido), and the PDP’s 2023 Kaduna governorship candidate, Isah Ashiru Kudan, alongside other party stalwarts.

A photograph from the event showed PDP National Organising Secretary Umar Bature and Mustapha Lamido addressing journalists in Abuja.