Barely weeks before the much-anticipated 2025 National Convention, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is once again in the headlines, and not for the best reasons.
Fresh cracks have emerged within Nigeria’s main opposition party, following former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido’s rejection of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as the consensus candidate for National Chairman.
What was supposed to be a unifying moment for the PDP has quickly turned into a fresh wave of tension, finger-pointing, and even legal threats, all while the clock ticks toward the November 15–16 convention in Ibadan.
A Convention in Turmoil
The PDP had scheduled the screening of aspirants for Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
However, in a sudden twist, the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), chaired by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, announced a postponement due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
In his statement, Fintiri assured members that the process remains on track and that a new date will soon be communicated. The NCOC, he said, remains “focused on delivering a credible, hitch-free 2025 Elective National Convention.”
Still, the postponement, coming less than a month before the big event, has sparked concerns among party loyalists and political observers. Many now wonder whether internal frictions might once again derail the PDP’s hopes of regaining national momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lamido’s Protest: A Locked Office and a Legal Threat
On Monday, Lamido stormed the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, expecting to purchase his nomination form for the chairmanship race. What he found instead were locked offices and officials who claimed ignorance of where the forms were being sold.
According to Lamido, both the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature, denied knowledge of the forms’ whereabouts. “It was strange,” Lamido said, “that even the custodians of the process were shut out.”
He accused unnamed individuals of hijacking the process, vowing to take legal action if denied the opportunity to contest.
“The PDP must run its affairs by the constitution,” he warned, stressing that only a disciplined and organised party can hope to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.
Despite the drama, Lamido maintained that his move was not about division. “It’s a family matter,” he said. “We must stay united because our real opponents are outside, the APC and their system.”
Turaki’s Camp Pushes Ahead
Meanwhile, while Lamido was still demanding access to buy his form, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, had already submitted his nomination form at the NCOC headquarters in Abuja’s Legacy House.
Turaki, who emerged as the North’s consensus candidate, pledged to entrench fairness, discipline, and stability within the party if elected.
His ally, Umar Sani, dismissed Lamido’s claims of exclusion, insisting that the consensus process involved “all relevant northern stakeholders.”
According to Sani, “Consultations were made, and all the northern governors and party leaders were represented.
Turaki is not afraid of competition. He’s loyal, experienced, and neutral, not tied to any camp. That’s the kind of leadership the PDP needs right now.”
The Power Struggle Behind the Scenes
The PDP’s internal zoning arrangement remains a key factor in this unfolding drama.
At its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in August, the party agreed to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South while allocating the National Chairmanship to the North, later micro-zoned to the North-West.
That decision, however, has fueled rivalries among northern leaders. Lamido’s camp claims they were never consulted before Turaki’s endorsement, describing the process as “unilateral.”
Lamido revealed that his zone, the North-West, had been scheduled to meet before the governors pre-empted them with a separate endorsement meeting. “If there are consultations, there can be consensus,” he said. “But there were none.”
A Party at a Crossroads
The confusion deepened when Senator Anyanwu and Umaru Bature confirmed they too hadn’t seen any nomination forms. Anyanwu even hinted at a possible forgery investigation, noting that the issue “cannot be swept under the carpet.”
Despite the tension, both officials expressed faith in the process, and Anyanwu reiterated his intention to contest at the convention once forms become available.
The unfolding situation paints a picture of a party still struggling to reconcile unity with ambition, even as it prepares for one of its most consequential conventions in years.
A Familiar PDP Dilemma
For many Nigerians watching from the sidelines, the PDP’s current crisis feels like déjà vu, another reminder of the internal wrangling that cost it the presidency in 2015 and has since hindered its comeback attempts.
While Lamido frames his protest as a defense of party democracy, Turaki’s supporters see it as politics as usual. In the end, both camps claim to be fighting for the same goal: a stronger, more stable PDP.
However, with postponements, parallel meetings, and rival camps, the question remains: can the PDP truly rise above its internal battles to offer a credible alternative to the ruling APC in 2027?
Only time and perhaps the November convention in Ibadan will tell.
As the PDP approaches its 2025 convention, the party faces a defining test of unity and leadership. Will it emerge stronger and more cohesive, or will personal ambitions and factional politics undermine its path to recovery?
For a party that once proudly called itself “the largest in Africa,” the coming weeks could determine whether that legacy can be rebuilt or remembered only as history.
