Opposition has emerged against the selection of former minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, as the consensus candidate of North for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship position, ahead of the party’s national November 15 convention.
The PDP national organising secretary, Umar Bature, opposed the choice of Turaki, saying he does not enjoy the backing of the North West zone to become the region’s consensus candidate.
Bature told newsmen on Thursday night that the North West zone, where Turaki hails from (Kebbi State), has not picked any one as consensus candidate, adding that the region was not consulted in his selection.
But the Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has said protests against the choice of Turaki are normal, adding that there is nothing to be worried about.
Lawal, who spoke while inaugurating the sub-committee of accreditation for the PDP national convention, also said there was no cause for alarm over the defection of PDP governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP leaders from the North, including state party chairmen, had met on Thursday night in Abuja to deliberate on various positions due to the zone.
However, on Wednesday night, PDP Northern stakeholders endorsed Turaki as their consensus candidate for the position of national chairman.
At the Wednesday meeting, Adamawa State governor, Adamu Fintiri, who also chairs the National Convention Organising Committee, said Turaki was picked after extensive consultations with leaders from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Those present at the meeting included the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed; Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal; PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) secretary and former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi; and the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum.
Also in attendance were former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Minister of Information Professor Jerry Gana, and Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, among others.
The PDP chairmanship slot had been zoned to the North-West geopolitical zone to promote regional balance and party cohesion.
Reacting, however, Bature said the North West has not met to agree on Turaki as consensus candidate of the region.
“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 People’s Democratic Party.”
He said 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.
“North West is the zone to which the national chairmanship 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 had been zoned to the North West, why should he adopt a candidate when he had 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 travelling, 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 recognised as the North West candidate.”
He said party chairmen and members of the National Assembly from the region were not consulted on the choice of Turaki, even though they were at the meeting when positions were zoned to the North West.
“So, if Governor Fintiri can adopt his own in the North East, why can’t we, stakeholders of the North West, be allowed to sit down and adopt our own candidate?” he queried.
But reacting to the opposition to Turaki’s candidacy, Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, said such agitations are normal, adding that no matter who is picked there would always be protestation.
He said, “Well, I don’t think that should be something we should be concerned about, because in politics, it’s about give and take. No matter who is selected, there will always be agitation from the other members.
“So, it’s normal, It is something that is internal. And we are working on making sure everybody is on board so that we can have a very, very successful conference,” he said.
Reacting to the defection of PDP governors, he said there was no cause for alarm.
The governor added, “Let me say this. The only thing that is constant and permanent is change. Let me take you back to history. In 2015, when PDP had over 29 to 30 governors, what happened at the end of the day? I’m sure you’ll be the judge. So, as I said, no shaking, no alarm.”
However, speaking about the arrangements for the party’s convention, he said “If you listened to my speech, I made it very clear that this committee is the engine room of a successful convention of our great party. And somebody from the public also asked this question, whether arrangements were made. And I made it very clear to him that arrangements are in place.
“People will be transported from their region all the way to Ibadan. And I also guarantee that everybody will be accommodated. And anyway, the whole essence of this committee is to work on the logistics.
“So, we have just started, and I’m sure there will not be any major issue. There may be issue, but there will be no major issue. And we will have a very successful convention in November, by the grace of Allah.”
