Troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected the former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, as its national chairman.
The election took place on Saturday during the controversial national convention in Ibadan, Oyo state capital that was boycotted by some serving governors and top echelon of the party.
Amid a flurry of court rulings, the party went ahead with the convention with Turaki being the sole candidate. His opponent, the 2023 governorship candidate of the PDP in Katsina state, Lado Danmarke dropped out of the race.
Turaki secured 1,516 votes to Danmarke’s 275 votes despite dropping out of the race.
The result was announced on Saturday night by a former lawmaker representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly, Senator Ben Obi.
He said that a total of 1,834 votes were cast, out of which 43 were voided.
“It is therefore clear from the votes cast that Taminu Turaki has won the position of National Chairman of the PDP with a total of 1,516 votes,” Obi declared.
Giving a count, he said 3,131 delegates participated in the exercise, while 2,745 delegates were accredited
In another position, Solarin Sunday Adekunle scored 633 votes to get elected as the Deputy National Organising Secretary.
While 17 positions were unopposed and returned elected two positions – youth leader and deputy national legal adviser were stepped down.
The election of a northern chairman followed the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the South, a decision taken during the party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting in August.
The convention which was largely boycotted was attended by governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and the immediate last National Chairman Umar Damagum.
However, Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) did not attend and no reason was given.
Others present were the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro; former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Gombe State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo; and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, among others.