The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a fresh turn after former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, vowed to drag the party to court over his failure to obtain the nomination form for the national chairman position ahead of the upcoming convention.
Lamido’s outburst followed the endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate for the top post at the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
However, the PDP leadership dismissed Lamido’s allegations, insisting that the former governor was only playing to the gallery.
In an interview with Daily Trust, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the party would not be distracted by what he described as “drama” from disgruntled elements.
“We are focused on moving forward and will not allow anyone or group to derail our progress,” Abdullahi stated.
“At the last NEC meeting, the sale and submission of forms were announced, and the deadline closed on October 22. Anyone coming after that is simply engaging in drama.”
The PDP spokesman accused some members of working against the party’s collective interest and urged journalists to avoid amplifying distractions.
“The northern leaders have taken a decision. Why is this one different? Let him (Lamido) go to court,” Abdullahi said.
“If people are working for the APC or whoever their paymasters are, it’s enough. Let this PDP have a breather.”
Abdullahi defended the consensus arrangement that produced Turaki, stressing that it was in line with PDP’s long-standing leadership tradition.
“In the past, one person used to singlehandedly nominate chairmen. This time, four northern governors and several key stakeholders agreed on one candidate. For those who used the same system to their advantage in the past to now reject it — that’s hypocrisy,” he argued.
He also dismissed Lamido’s visit to Wadata Plaza, describing it as a media stunt.
“Nobody goes to the national secretariat to buy forms. That was just for media drama,” Abdullahi added.
With the convention drawing closer, the PDP’s internal rifts appear far from over, raising fresh concerns about unity within the main opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
