Olayiwola Matthew
Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa, has vowed to take legal action against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he is prevented from obtaining the nomination form to contest the party’s national chairmanship position.
On Monday, declared his intention to run for the chairmanship position.
He subsequently visited the PDP national secretariat in Abuja to purchase the form, but lamented being stranded.
He said the office of the national organising secretary — responsible for selling nomination forms — was locked.
Speaking with journalists at the PDP headquarters, Lamido claimed party officials, Umar Bature, national organising secretary, and Samuel Anyanwu, said they did not know about the sale of the form.
“I went to the office of the national organising secretary, which is normally where the forms are sold, and the office was locked,” he said.
“I met him with the secretary of the party, senator Samuel Anyanwu, and both of them said they had no idea where the forms were or even how they were printed. So, I found it a little weird that the custodian of the system is also being locked out.”
Lamido said that he was later told that the forms were now under the control of Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa and chairman of the party’s national convention organising committee (NCOC).
“So, for me to buy the form, I have to go to Adamawa? If I don’t get the form, I’ll go to court. Simple,” he said.
The former governor described the situation as “unfortunate”, noting that the PDP should not be seen to be operating in secrecy or sidelining its members.
He dismissed questions that he had been rejected by some governors over alleged links with African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“Where were they when we fought for the party all through the last 25 years? Don’t bring up divisive issues. I don’t want to lose my composure. They met me in the PDP — all of them,” he said.
Lamido also criticised the “growing disregard for internal party procedures”, warning that the PDP risks weakening its internal democracy ahead of the 2027 general election.
“The PDP should be able to organise its own house. The only way we can win is by having a party that is disciplined. If we don’t follow our constitution and procedures, how do we win elections?” Lamido asked.
BACKGROUND
The planned PDP national convention has been marred by litigation and protests over the adoption of a “consensus candidate” for the chairmanship.
Northern PDP stakeholders recently endorsed Kabiru Turaki, ex-minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs, at a meeting held in Abuja as their consensus candidate for the position of national chairman ahead of the party’s convention.
Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi; Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Fintiri, Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara; and Umar Damagum, PDP national chairman, attended the meeting where Kabiru Turaki was endorsed as the consensus candidate for the chairmanship position.
Bukola Saraki, the former senate president; Jerry Gana, former minister of information; Abba Moro, senate minority leader; and Ibrahim Shekarau, former minister of education, among others, also attended the meeting.
The position was micro-zoned to the north-west. However, some PDP north-west stakeholders kicked against the choice of Turaki.
The north-west stakeholders said they were not invited to the sit-down where the decision was made, noting that the earlier meeting, scheduled for that purpose, had been postponed.
Meanwhile, a suit seeking to stop the PDP convention is billed for a hearing on October 31.