Kabiru Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, has taken charge as the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party after delegates endorsed him at the party’s national convention in Ibadan on Saturday night.

Senator Ben Obi announced the outcome, noting that Turaki became the lone contender when Katsina’s 2023 governorship candidate, Lado Danmarke, pulled out shortly before voting began. Even with his withdrawal, Danmarke still appeared on the ballot and ended up with 275 votes. Turaki secured 1,516 votes out of 1,834 cast, while 43 ballots were invalid.

Obi declared: “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.”

Other positions were also filled, including the seat of Deputy National Organising Secretary, which went to Solarin Sunday Adekunle with 633 votes. Elections into the roles of National Youth Leader and Deputy National Legal Adviser were postponed, while 17 offices had no challengers and their nominees were confirmed automatically.

Out of 3,131 delegates expected, 2,745 were accredited for the convention.

Governors Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, Ahmadu Fintiri, Dauda Lawal, and Caleb Mutfwang were present, while Governors Ademola Adeleke, Siminalayi Fubara, and Agbu Kefas were absent. Several senior party figures also attended, including Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ibrahim Dankwambo, and Board of Trustees Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara.

Turaki’s emergence follows the PDP’s earlier decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the national chairmanship to the North. In the weeks leading up to the convention, key North-West stakeholders rallied behind him as their preferred consensus candidate. Those involved in the endorsement included governors from Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa, and Zamfara, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-minister Jerry Gana, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, and former Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau.