Northern stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have endorsed former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, as the consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman ahead of the party’s forthcoming national elective convention.
The convention is scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, where new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) will be elected to lead the party into the 2027 general elections and beyond.
Announcing the decision after a closed-door meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the Governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri, said the consensus arrangement does not bar other aspirants from contesting.
“The consensus arrangement is to promote unity and cohesion in the party. It does not stop anyone from contesting if they wish to test their popularity at the convention,” Fintiri stated.
The meeting, which produced the resolution, was attended by key party leaders including the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Zamfara, and Plateau States; former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro; and the PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
Held at the residence of former Kaduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the gathering sought to strengthen northern unity and present a common front ahead of the Ibadan convention.
Also in attendance were Bala Mohammed, chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State; Dauda Lawal of Zamfara; Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau; and other northern party leaders.
Senator Makarfi, who had earlier been in the race alongside former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido, was said to have stepped down in support of Turaki’s candidacy.
The endorsement of Turaki is seen as a major step toward consolidating northern support and fostering stability within the PDP as it prepares for internal reforms and strategic repositioning ahead of 2027.
