• As National Convention Elects Arapaja New National Secretary

The National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party has come to end in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital with the emergence of a former Minister under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.

Turaki, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who hails from Kebbi State in the North West geo-political zone, served as Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs (2013–2015) and Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity (2014–2015).

In what the party described as “a landmark moment for Nigeria’s opposition politics,” it said that over 3,000 delegates from across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, attended the convention.

The party said this “marks a pivotal step toward party unity and renewal ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

Turaki had contested against Senator Yakubu Lado, who however withdrew from the race giving way for Turaki as the consensus candidate.

PDP expressed confidence that the new National Chairman will “lead the party into its next phase of resurgence.”

The election was supervised by Senator Ben Obi.

Turaki was born on April 3, 1957, in Birnin Kebbi. He earned a law degree from the University of Jos in 1985 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986.

He became a SAN in 2002, the first from Kebbi State and the former North-Western States to achieve this distinction. He also studied Islamic Investment Structuring in 2010.

He chaired the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North. He was a PDP presidential aspirant in 2018 for the 2019 election and has held various roles within the PDP, including Deputy Director-General (North) of the Presidential Campaign Organization.

NPO Reports that the convention had earlier in the day expelled some prominent members of the PDP over alleged anti-party activities.

Wike and Fayose were alongside the PDP’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and nine other members of the party expelled at the ongoing National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Others who were expelled from the party include Umar Bature, Muhammed Abdulrahman, Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), Mao Ohuabunwa, Austine Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, George Turner, and Chief Dan Orbih.

The PDP’s National Executive Council (NEC) cited alleged anti-party activities as reason for dismissal of the members.

Reacting to the development in a post on his X handle, Lere talked down the PDP’s convention, describing it as a social party.

He expressed indifference over Wike and Fayose’s expulsion, stressing that the party is free to say anything.

“They went Ibadan to start dirty December in November.

“When people decided to start their own dirty December in November, one can’t but ignore whatever comes out of their mouths.

“They gathered in Ibadan to do social party, enjoyed themselves and got intoxicated, they are free to say anything.” Olayinka wrote.