The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter in Jigawa State has strongly criticised the decision by northern party leaders to endorse former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate for National Chairman, calling the move a betrayal of northern interests.
Speaking in Hausa on a political programme broadcast by Sawaba Radio, the state party chairman, Babandi Ibrahim Gumel, stated that the endorsement by the northern caucus failed to adhere to established procedures and effectively sidelined key stakeholders in the North-West zone.
He recalled that during the caucus’ last meeting, the chairmanship slot was agreed to be zoned specifically to the North-West region, with leaders in that zone tasked to produce a consensus candidate.
Analysts confirm that at the 102nd National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP, the national chairmanship was zoned to the North, before being further micro-zoned to the North-West zone.
Gumel said: “On the basis of that directive, we scheduled our meeting for Thursday, under the chairmanship of the Governor of Zamfara State. But unexpectedly, on Wednesday, those who made the directive went ahead and announced their preferred candidate without consulting us.”
He added that prominent northern leader and former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido was only informed of the northern caucus meeting about an hour before it started — a move he described as “unacceptable and undemocratic”.
Moreover, the Jigawa party leadership challenged the legitimacy of the process, pointing out that none of the endorsed aspirants had formally purchased nomination forms or followed the usual filing processes.
In his words: “None of those endorsed had even purchased forms to indicate their interest in the position.”
Gumel reiterated that Lamido remains, in the view of the Jigawa PDP, the most qualified individual to lead the party out of its current difficulties. He emphasised that the top priority for the state chapter is to secure unity and credible leadership for the PDP.
“We have been in the PDP for 26 years, and we do not want anything that will destabilise the party,” he said, reaffirming the chapter’s commitment to fairness and internal democracy.
This development comes amid heightened tension within the PDP’s Northern Zone. While some northern stakeholders publicly endorsed Turaki as the agreed candidate for National Chairman ahead of the November 15–16, 2025 national convention in Ibadan, others in the North-West zone have rejected the endorsement as unilateral and illegitimate.
In light of these divisions, the North-West zone’s leaders argue that they were not properly consulted, and that only a transparent process involving zonal meetings can validate any candidate from their region.
Please recall that on August 25, 2025, at its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the PDP zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South and, by implication, the National Chairmanship to the North.
On October 22 / October 23, 2025, the Northern stakeholders of the PDP held a meeting in Abuja and formally endorse Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as their consensus candidate for National Chairman ahead of the national convention (scheduled for November 15-16 in Ibadan).
In a swift response the next day, the leaders of the North-West zone of the PDP publicly rejected the endorsement of Turaki, saying the zone was not consulted and that the process was illegitimate.
At the same time, the PDP chapter in Kebbi State officially distanced itself from Turaki’s endorsement, aligning with the North-West zone’s position.
But Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, described the opposition to Turaki’s endorsement as “normal” internal party politics, while reaffirming the process is ongoing, adding, “o matter what we do, some people will still be aggrieved … It is normal; it is part of politics. What we are doing is trying to bring everybody together in the interest of this party.”
Announcing Turaki, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State said, “We have met this evening to deliberate and take a decision on the office of the Chairman of our great party, which was zoned to the North … That gentleman is K.T. Turaki, SAN. This is our decision, and we are presenting him at the convention for that position.”
Umar Bature, PDP National Organising Secretary, speaking on behalf of North-West stakeholders retorted: “The North-West has not met to agree on that position…. We are the zone to which the national chairmanship has been zoned, and it is unfair for others to decide for us.”
“Consensus is made through consultation. We were neither consulted nor carried along before the announcement,” he added.
