The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, as its new National Chairman, in what party insiders described as a “unity move to reposition the opposition ahead of 2027.”
The election, which took place on Saturday during the party’s national convention held at the historic Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, Oyo State, saw Turaki emerge unopposed after his only challenger, Lado Danmarke, the 2023 PDP governorship candidate in Katsina State, withdrew from the race.
Despite his withdrawal, Danmarke still managed to garner 275 votes — an indication that elements within the party were not entirely aligned with the consensus deal that had been quietly struck among influential northern power blocs.
Turaki secured a commanding 1,516 votes to officially assume the top position, which had been zoned to the North following the PDP’s August decision to allocate the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, in adherence to its rotational power arrangement.
Other results from the convention showed Solarin Sunday Adekunle emerging as the Deputy National Organising Secretary with 633 votes.
Meanwhile, elections into the offices of Youth Leader and Deputy National Legal Adviser were stepped down, amid what party sources described as ongoing internal consultations.
However, seventeen other positions were unopposed and returned elected.
Before the convention, the party’s North-West caucus had thrown its weight behind Turaki during a series of high-stakes meetings held in early October.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by high-profile PDP figures including Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Plateau’s Caleb Mutfwang, Adamawa’s Ahmadu Fintiri, Zamfara’s Dauda Lawal, and acting National Chairman Umar Damagum.
Also present were former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Minister of Information Jerry Gana, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, and former Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau.
However, with the PDP still struggling to heal deep internal wounds from the 2023 election cycle and multiple states slipping further from its control, it remains to be seen whether the new leadership can reposition the party as a formidable threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the run-up to the 2027 general election.
For now, the opposition looks determined to rebrand itself — starting with Ibadan.
