There is division in the Northern Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties in the Jonathan Administration, Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN), for the position of National Chairman as consensus candidate by some party leaders from the region.

While Turaki was endorsed in Abuja at a meeting of party leaders led by the governors, other leaders from the Northwest rejected the endorsement, saying that they were not consulted.

Following the adoption, Turaki’s name is expected to be presented to delegates at the November 15 Convention in Ibadan to replace the outgoing National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

But the National Organizing Secretary, Umar Bature, said North-West had no hand in the selective endorsement.

The opposition party had zoned the National Chairman to the North and the presidential ticket to the South.

At its last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the party resolved that while all party positions should remain in their current zones, they should be micro-zoned by zonal leaders among the states constituting the region.

However, the proposed convention is a matter of litigation at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Also, crisis has broken out between the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who alleged that the signature on the party’s letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the convention co-signed by him and Damagum was forged.

Sixty three-year old Turaki, who hails from Kebbi State, Northwest zone, is one of the Deputy Chairmen of the Convention Organizing Committee.

He was endorsed as candidate at the meeting of PDP Northern Stakeholders on Wednesday at the Adamawa Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, announced the endorsement at the end of the meeting, which was attended by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, and Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas.

Fintiri said all the 10 positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) zoned to the North would be micro-zoned through consensus.

He however, clarified that the adoption of consensus does not preclude any member of the party from contesting for any position in the party.

Aspirants for positions in the National Working Committee will appear for screening at the national headquarters, Legacy House, Abuja on Tuesday.

Fintiri said in a statement last night that Monday is the last day for the purchase of nomination forms.

The statement reads: “The screening of all aspirants for various National Offices in the 2025 PDP Elective National Convention has been scheduled for Tuesday, 28th October, 2025.

“The Screening is to hold at the National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) Secretariat Conference Hall, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja at 2pm while the Screening Appeal has been slated for Thursday, 30th October, 2025

“To this effect, Monday, 27th October, 2025 has been approved as the last date for the submission of already completed Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms by all aspirants to the NCOC Secretariat.”

The BoT said the allegation by Anyanwu that his signature was forged is wrong.

BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara said in a statement that the National Secretary had misled party members and the general public.

The statement is titled: “Re: Allegation of forgery by Senator Samuel Anyanwu – A clarification of facts.”

Wabara said “the said INEC notification letter was jointly signed by the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary, on the 25th of August, 2025, during the 102nd meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP.”

He said the signing took place in the presence governors, BoT members and NEC members.

Wabara recalled that after signing the letter, Anyanwu was inaugurated as the Secretary of the Contact and Mobilization Sub-Committee for the convention.

He insisted that in that capacity, he co-signed official communications of the sub-committee, including letters of appointment issued to its members, alongside the Sub-Committee Chairman, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri.

The former Senate President also said that in his capacity as Sub-Committee Secretary, he also signed and transmitted a letter seeking financial approval for the inaugural meeting of the sub-committee.

Wabara said these verifiable correspondences, bearing his signature, are in the custody of the Party and relevant Convention Committees.

He added: “In view of these incontrovertible facts, the BoT finds Senator Anyanwu’s claim of forgery to be baseless, misleading, and to say the least, reprehensible being inconsistent with the documented record of events.

“Such allegations, regrettably, can only be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on the integrity of the Party’s leadership and processes, and to misinform security agencies and the general public.”

Why his nomination is faulty

Bature said the Northwest was not consulted before Turaki’s choice was announced by Fintiri.

He told reporters after a meeting of some Northwest leaders in Abuja that while the position was micro-zoned to the region, its leaders never met to take a decision on who should be adopted as candidate.

He said it was wrong for the Adamawa governor to announce a consensus candidate when the zone was not consulted.

Bature said: “This meeting was at the instance of the Governor of Zamfara, with a view to adopting a particular individual for the national chairman zoned to the Northwest.

“A meeting was held yesterday with other leaders of the northern zones, and the name of an individual was reportedly adopted. The Northwest has not met to agree on that position. That’s why we came for this meeting, and unfortunately, that meeting again was postponed.

“So, what we want to make clear to everybody is that this zone has not adopted anybody as a candidate from this zone for the Peoples Democratic Party. There is a lot of resentment due to a lack of consultation among the leaders of this zone.

“We believe we are the strongest zone in the PDP, and the attitude of our leaders in this regard made us take this position that we disagree with the governor’s position of yesterday, and we are going to have our own candidate that we will nominate for that position.”

He added: “The Northwest is the zone to which the national chairman has been zoned. This position has been determined by other zones, and we feel it is unfair for other zones to determine a particular candidate when this zone has not been consulted. That’s why we are taking this position.

“He said they can go ahead. Those who are interested in contesting can go ahead to contest. Do you think that’s fair, and is there any need for disagreement when it’s open that you can contest? If it’s open, then, why did they adopt somebody else? That would be the question you should have asked him.

“If it’s an open contest, they should have allowed others to come out and contest. They shouldn’t have just zoned it to one person. If he knew that the chairmanship position has been zoned to the Northwest, why should he adopt a candidate when he has not met others? That’s why we’re here today.

“Consensus about who? Consensus is made by consultation. We have not been consulted. The governor himself zoned these positions to the North West. We were supposed to meet yesterday at the instance of the Zamfara governor, who said he was traveling, and that meeting was suspended until today.

“The governor then sat down and adopted a candidate. We didn’t sit down in the North West to adopt a candidate. That’s why we are expressing this position. As far as we are concerned, we do not have a candidate recognized as the North West candidate.

“We are all stakeholders here. We are all party chairmen. We are all members of the National Assembly. None of us was consulted. We were at the meeting when these positions were zoned to the North West.

“So, if Governor Fintiri can adopt his own in the Northeast, why can’t we, stakeholders of the Northwest, be allowed to sit down and adopt our own candidate? (The Nation)