By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA — The endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman has sparked major opposition within the party’s Northern power bloc. The controversy, fueled by the camps of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, threatens party unity ahead of the National Convention on November 15-16 in Ibadan.
The crisis arose after a faction of Northern leaders, following the party’s decision to zone the 2027 presidency to the South and the Chairmanship to the North, micro-zoned the top seat to the North-West and subsequently adopted Turaki.
Wike and Lamido Camps Mobilize Opposition
The announcement by the Governors’ Forum Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed, and other Northern leaders, was immediately met with resistance, revealing deep fissures:
- Lamido’s Ambition: Groups loyal to Sule Lamido are openly aggrieved, viewing the adoption of Turaki as an attempt to sideline the former governor, who is a strong contender for the post. They are actively working to discredit the consensus process.
- Wike’s North-Central Push: The faction associated with Minister Nyesom Wike is reportedly backing a candidate from the North-Central zone, specifically pushing for former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, challenging the North-West micro-zoning.
- Lack of Consultation: Party officials speaking anonymously criticized the northern governors for a lack of wider consultation, arguing that key stakeholders in the North-Central and North-West felt “slighted and disrespected.”
Further undermining the endorsement, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, publicly refuted the Turaki consensus, stating that no official North-West meeting had been held and that the zone would soon announce its preference.
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, however, sought to downplay the rift, assuring members that efforts are ongoing to harmonize positions and ensure the party attends the convention with a united front.
South-West Achieves Consensus on National Secretary
In contrast to the Northern dispute, the South-West zone successfully achieved consensus on its allotted position.
Following a meeting initiated by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja was unanimously endorsed as the consensus candidate for the position of National Secretary. This decision was reportedly settled smoothly and without opposition.