A former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, has taken over as the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party after a smooth, largely uncontested process at the party’s national convention in Ibadan on Saturday night
The announcement was made by Senator Ben Obi, who revealed that Turaki became the sole contender for the position following the withdrawal of Katsina State’s 2023 governorship candidate, Lado Danmarke.
Even after stepping down, Danmarke still received 275 delegate votes, while Turaki amassed a commanding 1,516 votes. Out of the 1,834 ballots submitted, 43 were rejected.
Obi summed up the results, saying: “It is therefore clear from the votes cast that Taminu Turaki has won the position of National Chairman of the PDP with a total of 1,516 votes.”
Solarin Sunday Adekunle also emerged as Deputy National Organising Secretary with 633 votes. The contests for National Youth Leader and Deputy National Legal Adviser were suspended, while 17 other offices went through unopposed, allowing their nominees to be confirmed without a vote.
In total, 3,131 delegates were expected for the exercise, though accreditation was completed for 2,745 of them.
Several governors were on ground for the convention, including Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, Ahmadu Fintiri, Dauda Lawal, and Caleb Mutfwang. Governors Ademola Adeleke, Siminalayi Fubara, and Agbu Kefas did not attend.
Also present were key party figures such as Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ibrahim Dankwambo, and Board of Trustees Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara.
The leadership transition follows the PDP’s August decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the national chairmanship to the North. Ahead of the convention, Turaki had already secured broad support from influential North-West leaders, who backed him as their consensus candidate during meetings held in October.
Those involved in the endorsement included governors from Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa, and Zamfara, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-ministers Jerry Gana and Ibrahim Shekarau, Umar Damagum, and others.