Northern leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have agreed to zone the party’s national chairmanship position to the North-West, in what insiders describe as a strategic effort to strengthen unity and reposition the party ahead of its national convention.
Sources within the PDP told The PUNCH that the decision was reached at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja last weekend, attended by governors, former governors, serving senators, and past National Assembly principal officers from the North.
It was also resolved that the three northern zones would, within the week, harmonize positions and decide on consensus candidates for key offices before the convention slated for November in Ibadan.
From the North-West, three prominent figures — former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki (SAN), and former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi — have emerged as front-runners for the top job. Party insiders, however, revealed that Turaki currently enjoys significant backing from several influential stakeholders and some of the remaining PDP governors.
A senior party official familiar with the development said that while tensions were expected ahead of the convention, internal consultations were yielding progress.
“The noise and disagreements are normal in a democratic party like ours. Stakeholders are actively engaging to ensure that zoning arrangements and key leadership decisions reflect balance and inclusiveness,” the source said.
He added that the decision to zone the chairmanship to the North-West was part of ongoing efforts to stabilize the PDP after internal wrangling that followed the 2023 general elections.
The forthcoming convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan is expected to produce a new leadership that will chart the PDP’s path toward rebuilding grassroots confidence and preparing for the 2027 elections.
