Ex-minister Turaki Emerges PDP National Chairman
A former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, has been elected the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.
His election was announced and confirmed on Saturday night by a former lawmaker representing Anambra Central, Senator Ben Obi, at the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Obi said Turaki ran unopposed for the position after the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Katsina State, Lado Danmarke, withdrew from the race.
He said that despite pulling out, Danmarke still garnered 275 votes from delegates, while Turaki secured a total of 1,516 votes to emerge as chairman.
The former lawmaker disclosed that a total of 1,834 votes were cast and 43 votes were voided.
“It is therefore clear from the votes cast that Taminu Turaki has won the position of the National Chairman of the PDP with a total of 1,516 votes,” he declared.
Obi also announced that Solarin Sunday Adekunle won the seat of Deputy National Organising Secretary with 633 votes.
The positions of National Youth Leader and Deputy National Legal Adviser were stepped down, while 17 other offices were uncontested and their nominees returned elected.
Obi added that a total of 3,131 delegates participated in the exercise, while 2,745 delegates were accredited.
Governors in attendance at the convention were Bala Muhammed (Bauchi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau)
Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Sim Fubara (Rivers), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) did not attend the convention.
Others present were the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro; a former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, his Gombe counterpart, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo; and the Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara; among others.
In August, the PDP National Executive Committee had zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South in keeping with the party’s rotation principle and zoned the national chairmanship to the North.
Ahead of the convention, influential North-West party stakeholders endorsed Turaki as their consensus candidate during a series of meetings held in October.
Those who participated in the endorsements included the governors of Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa, and Zamfara states, as well as the then acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
Other notable figures at the meeting were former Senate President Bukola Saraki; former Minister of Information Jerry Gana; Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro; and former Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau.
