JUST IN: LAMIDO THREATENS LEGAL ACTION OVER DENIED NOMINATION FORM AT PDP CONVENTION

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BY JENN NOMAMIUKOR

Former Jigawa State Governor and prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sule Lamido, has issued a warning of potential legal proceedings against the party if he is not permitted to acquire nomination forms in advance of the upcoming national convention set for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Lamido, in a discussion with reporters in Abuja on Monday after his efforts to secure the PDP National Chairman nomination form were unsuccessful, revealed that both the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature, were implicated in the situation.

During its 102nd National Executive Committee meeting held on August 25 in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party reached a consensus to designate its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while assigning the position of National Chairman to the North.

In light of this resolution, Northern leaders convened over the weekend and further delineated the chairmanship position specifically to the North-West.

Consequently, Northern PDP governors, spearheaded by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, alongside other party officials, endorsed former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the agreed-upon candidate for National Chairman from the North.

Nevertheless, certain Northern stakeholders, purportedly loyal to Lamido and led by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, expressed discontent, claiming they were not consulted prior to the endorsement.

In a distinct development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is allegedly backing his associate, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, for the same role.

Lamido, who arrived at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, with his supporters shortly after 11 a.m., encountered difficulties locating any party officials to provide him with the nomination forms for the National Chairman position, as numerous offices were secured.

While the National Convention Organising Committee, led by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, has been functioning from the annex office at Legacy House in Maitama, Abuja, Lamido asserted that the forms should have been accessible to him at the Wadata headquarters.

He stated, “Well, let me be very clear. You see, PDP is a family of wonderful Nigerians who share a similar commitment to Nigeria and democracy. So, coming here is like coming home, to the family. There’s nothing new about it.

“Secondly, because we are now going into a convention, and by the party constitution, sales of forms are normally at the party headquarters, I came here to purchase my own form. That’s why I’m here,” he said.

Speaking on his inability to obtain form, Lamido said, “I went to the office of the National Organising Secretary, which is normally the office where the forms are sold, and the office was locked. I think it was officially locked, you know, because of his own position.

“So, I met him with the Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. I said, ‘Look, I’m here to buy the form.’ Both of them said they had no idea where the forms are, not even how they were printed or the kind of forms they are. They had no idea where they were being sold.

“So, I found it a little bit weird that the custodian of the system, who is the National Organising Secretary, is also being locked out. So, they may not be able to go into the office.”

He explained that he went to Wadata Plaza based on tradition, but since the process is now handled by the Convention Committee led by Fintiri, he may have to go to Adamawa to get the form.

He added, “No, the closing date for sales of forms has been extended. In any case, all decisions of the party must be done by the NEC. You know, any change of date or time must be approved by the NEC.

“But somehow, I think the entire function of the NEC has been taken over by individuals. And therefore, we’ll find out how it’s going to work out.

“I am an optimist. You know, it’s a family thing. We’ll never fight, no matter what, because we want to win the election. If we fight, we’ll lose. You know, our opponents are outside. APC and their evil system. APC, not PDP. So, if you don’t have an organised house with a very, very organised force, how do you fight it out?

“That is why I am trying to buy the form. And if I don’t get the form, I will go to court, simple. The PDP should be able to organise its own house, to run the party based on the policies of the party, doing the right thing at all times.

“The only way we can win is by having a party that is disciplined. If the party is not organised, if we don’t follow our own constitution and procedures, how do we win elections?”

Lamido articulated that his principal objective is to witness the PDP reconstructed into a cohesive and stable entity capable of maintaining focus on the broader mission of salvaging Nigeria and its citizens from the APC.

The former Governor of Jigawa State dismissed the governors’ consensus arrangement, asserting that it was formulated without any form of consultation.

Lamido remarked, “If there are consultations, consensus can be achieved. However, in the absence of consultations, we cannot claim to be unified. In my region, we never convened.

“We were scheduled to meet on Wednesday. I believe the Governor of Zamfara reserved the venue at Hilton for us from the Northwest to assemble and develop that level of understanding. Yet, to preempt our gathering, they scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, undermining our own meeting on Wednesday.