Northern PDP stakeholders endorse Kabiru Turaki as consensus chairman ahead of convention
Prominent northern stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have endorsed Kabiru Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, as their consensus candidate for the position of national chairman ahead of the party’s national convention.
The endorsement took place on Wednesday night in Abuja during a strategic meeting of northern PDP leaders, signaling a major step in the party’s internal alignment before the November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Key political figures present at the meeting included Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi; Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau, Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, and the current acting PDP national chairman, Umar Damagum.
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Their collective decision is expected to influence the direction of the convention, especially as the northern bloc traditionally produces the national chairman when the party’s presidential ticket is zoned to the south.
The endorsement of Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria and former presidential aspirant, is seen as an effort to maintain unity within the northern caucus and strengthen the PDP’s internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections. Turaki, known for his legal and political experience, is expected to lead reconciliation efforts and reposition the party as a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the path to the PDP convention remains uncertain as internal disputes threaten to disrupt the process. A faction of party members loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the event.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by Austine Nwachukwu, the PDP chairman in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia State chairman; and Turnah George, the South-South secretary of the party. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the planned national convention illegal and to restrain the PDP from proceeding with it until pending internal disputes are resolved.
The case is scheduled for hearing on October 31, a date many observers say will determine whether the party can go ahead with its timetable or be forced to postpone the convention.
Party insiders describe the legal challenge as part of the ongoing power tussle between the pro-Wike faction and other blocs within the PDP, particularly those aligned with Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate. The friction, they warn, could once again test the party’s fragile unity as it seeks to reorganize and reclaim political relevance.
The PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had in August reaffirmed that the party’s 2027 presidential ticket would be zoned to the south, in line with its rotation policy. By that arrangement, the north is expected to produce the next national chairman a factor that strengthens Turaki’s position as a leading contender.
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As the PDP prepares for its crucial November convention, the endorsement of Kabiru Turaki underscores a renewed northern effort to consolidate influence, balance internal power structures, and present a united front in the face of legal and political challenges.
