Ibadan Convention: Tanimu Turaki elected PDP Natn'l Chairman

Former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has been elected the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Turaki emerged on Saturday at the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where he secured 1,516 votes as the sole candidate for the top position.

His emergence followed the withdrawal of Lado Danmarke, the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Katsina State, who had initially indicated interest in the race. Despite stepping down, Danmarke still received 275 votes from delegates.

At the convention, Solarin Sunday Adekunle polled 633 votes to clinch the position of Deputy National Organising Secretary.

The offices of Youth Leader and Deputy National Legal Adviser were stepped down, while 17 other positions, which had no challengers, were returned unopposed.

Earlier in August, the PDP National Executive Committee had zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, in line with the party’s rotational principles, leading to the zoning of the national chairmanship to the North.

In October, key North-West leaders endorsed Turaki as their consensus candidate during a series of strategic meetings attended by top PDP stakeholders, including Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed; Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang; Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri; Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal; Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum; former Senate President Bukola Saraki; former Information Minister Jerry Gana; Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro; and ex-Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau.