Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North have thrown their weight behind former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), endorsing him as the region’s consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for November in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday night after a meeting of Northern PDP leaders in Abuja, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State said Turaki was unanimously adopted following extensive consultations across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We’ve met this evening to deliberate and take a decision on the office of the Chairman of our great party, the PDP, which was zoned to the North,” Fintiri said. “After deep reflection and wide consultations, we have adopted a consensus candidate to represent the North — and by extension, Nigeria — as the Chairman of the PDP. That gentleman is K.T. Turaki, SAN.”
Fintiri, who also chairs the National Convention Organising Committee, added that the decision was made to foster unity and stability within the party as it prepares for the convention.
However, he clarified that the door remains open for any aspirant who wishes to contest.
“Anybody who still feels he wants to contest for any position is free. We are not excluding anybody,” he stated. “But this is our position as far as Northern leaders are concerned.”
The endorsement of Turaki follows the PDP National Executive Committee’s August 25 decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the national chairmanship to the North.
The Northern PDP subsequently micro-zoned the chairmanship slot to the North-West, setting the stage for intense lobbying among party heavyweights.
Before Turaki’s emergence, former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, and ex-Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, were among the top contenders reportedly in the race.
Speaking on the unity of the party amid internal tensions, Fintiri assured that the upcoming convention would be “rancour-free,” stressing that the PDP’s internal mechanisms were strong enough to resolve any disputes.
“The PDP is an institution with mechanisms to handle issues. This consensus is the result of two weeks of consultation, and I assure you that the convention will be peaceful. We are united and focused,” he said.
The development comes amid mounting internal wrangling within the PDP, particularly involving loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership of Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The party is also battling multiple legal disputes over leadership legitimacy and convention preparations.
A case filed by PDP chairmen from Imo and Abia States alongside the South-South Zonal Secretary accuses the Damagum-led National Working Committee of violating the party’s constitution.
Additionally, confusion persists over the removal of the party’s Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), and the controversial letter purportedly signed by National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, notifying INEC of the convention date — a claim Anyanwu denies.
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Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) is a seasoned lawyer and politician with expertise in constitutional law, election petition litigation, international criminal law, and oil and gas.
A former Minister of Special Duties and Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity under President Goodluck Jonathan, Turaki is widely regarded as a bridge-builder within the PDP.
Those present at the meeting included PDP Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), as well as Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and ex-Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana.
Also in attendance were former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi and Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro.
With the endorsement of Turaki, the North has signalled its readiness for the Ibadan convention — even as the PDP continues to grapple with internal power struggles that could shape its future heading into the 2027 general elections.