Former Minister of Special Duties and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has been elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a heated and controversy-ridden national convention held on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The convention, which attracted delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, was marred by disagreements over zoning, accreditation delays, and allegations of last-minute scheming by rival factions. Security operatives were deployed heavily as repeated clashes among contending blocs raised concerns about possible disruption of the event.
Turaki emerged as the sole candidate for the chairmanship after the withdrawal of Lado Danmarke, the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Katsina State. He polled 1,516 votes to secure the top leadership position of the opposition party.
In his acceptance speech, Turaki vowed to rebuild unity and restore internal cohesion within the PDP, which has been battling intense internal crises in recent years.
“We must rebuild trust and restore unity. This mandate is for the collective renewal of our great party,” he said, assuring delegates of his commitment to repositioning the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party leaders — including governors, lawmakers, and former NWC officials — called on dissatisfied stakeholders to accept the outcome and work with the new leadership. However, some factions immediately rejected the process, alleging irregularities and promising to challenge the results through internal party procedures.
The Ibadan convention followed weeks of legal battles, with some founding members obtaining court injunctions seeking to stop the event over zoning controversies and alleged exclusion in the selection process.
Turaki is expected to begin wide-ranging consultations in the coming days as he works to stabilise the PDP’s national structure and resolve lingering disputes within its ranks.
