Former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Sule Lamido, has threatened to take legal action against the party after he was allegedly denied access to purchase the nomination form for the position of National Chairman ahead of the PDP’s upcoming national convention.
The convention is scheduled to hold on November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday, Lamido expressed frustration that his attempt to buy the form at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, was unsuccessful. He accused the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, of complicity, saying both men claimed ignorance of the forms’ whereabouts.
Insightlinks earlier reported that at 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on August 25, the PDP resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, while the National Chairmanship was allocated to the North.
Northern leaders later micro-zoned the chairmanship to the North-West, where Lamido hails from.
However, Northern PDP governors and some party leaders, led by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, endorsed former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate. This endorsement angered some Northern stakeholders loyal to Lamido, who said they were not consulted.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is backing his ally, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, for the same position, further complicating the party’s internal politics.
Lamido arrived at the party secretariat around 11 a.m. with supporters but found most offices locked. He expressed surprise that even the National Organising Secretary, who is supposed to oversee the sale of forms was unable to access his office.
He said, “I went to the office of the National Organising Secretary where forms are usually sold, but the office was locked. I met him with the National Secretary, and both of them said they didn’t know where the forms were or how they were printed. It’s strange that those who are custodians of the process are also locked out.”
Lamido described the situation as “a family issue” but insisted that the process should follow party tradition and constitutional procedures.
He added, “If I don’t get the form, I’ll go to court. The PDP must be run according to its constitution and internal democracy. We can only win elections if we are disciplined and organised.”
However, Lamido dismissed the governors’ consensus arrangement, arguing that there was no proper consultation.
“If there are consultations, there can be consensus. But if there are no consultations, we’re not united. My zone, the North-West, never met. We were supposed to meet on Wednesday, but they fixed another meeting for Tuesday to preempt ours. That’s the problem.”
Despite his frustration, Lamido emphasised his commitment to party unity, saying the PDP must remain a “family” to defeat the ruling APC.
“Our opponents are outside, not within. If we fight ourselves, we lose. We must rebuild and stay focused on rescuing Nigeria from the APC’s failed system.”
Lamido reaffirmed his determination to pursue his ambition through the proper channels, while calling on the PDP to uphold fairness and internal democracy as it prepares for the convention.
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