ABUJA, Nigeria (FN) — Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former minister in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has been elected national chairman of Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party, emerging as the sole candidate at a tense convention marked by internal disputes and legal challenges.
Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, won with 1,516 delegate votes at the party’s convention in Ibadan after his closest rival, former lawmaker Garuba Lado, withdrew. Party leaders from the North had earlier endorsed Turaki as a consensus candidate.
In his acceptance speech, Turaki vowed to restore internal discipline and rebuild the party’s weakened national structure after years of infighting and defections.
“There will be no more impunity in the PDP,” Turaki said, promising reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections. “We must return this party to its grassroots and to the values that first earned Nigerians’ trust.”
A Party Still Divided
Turaki takes over at a time when the PDP is grappling with a deep internal rift, especially involving the faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State and a longtime power broker within the party.
Wike’s camp opposed the convention and questioned the zoning arrangements that paved the way for Turaki’s emergence. Some of his allies demanded fresh congresses in several states and insisted that certain party offices remain in specific regions, arguing that established structures were being sidelined.
Before the convention, Wike’s allies filed legal actions attempting to halt the process, saying the party violated internal agreements. While the court cases did not stop the event, analysts say the dispute signals trouble for Turaki’s incoming leadership.
Will the Wike Factor Undermine Turaki?
Political observers say the biggest threat to Turaki’s tenure could come from Wike’s influence and his widespread support base across several PDP state chapters.
“If the new chairman fails to accommodate the Wike bloc, the PDP risks operating with parallel structures,” said Abuja-based political analyst Chika Odili. “This is not a conflict he can ignore.”
Wike has not publicly congratulated Turaki, fueling speculation of a prolonged standoff. His loyalists maintain significant influence in the party’s southwest, south-south and parts of the north, creating the possibility of sustained pushback if reconciliation efforts fail.
A High-Stakes Road to 2027
The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, has struggled to regain national relevance after losing the presidency in 2015. The party’s internal feuds, including the Wike-Atiku dispute during the last election cycle, weakened its national presence and contributed to electoral losses.
Turaki’s supporters argue his consensus victory offers a fresh opportunity to stabilize the party.
A pro-reform group within the PDP hailed his election as a “rescue mission,” saying the party must unify quickly or risk further decline ahead of the 2027 polls.
Still, analysts warn that without a strategic rapprochement with Wike’s faction, the PDP could remain divided.
“Turaki’s leadership will ultimately be judged by whether he can bring Wike back to the table,” Odili said. “If not, the PDP may head into another election cycle fractured and weakened.”
What Comes Next
Turaki is expected to unveil a reform blueprint in the coming weeks, focusing on reconciliation, party discipline and rebuilding state chapters affected by past crises.
For now, the new chairman faces a delicate balancing act: asserting authority while negotiating with one of the party’s most influential and unpredictable figures.
