Updated: Makinde-backed PDP appoints Turaki as national chairman

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), backed by Governor Seyi Makinde, has appointed a 13-member interim National Working Committee (NWC), with former National Chairman Tanimu Turaki as the interim national chairman.

The decision was made at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held by the party at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

The move was confirmed by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, who emphasized that the appointment was in accordance with the PDP constitution. The decision follows a leadership vacuum created within the party.

The 13-member interim NWC is expected to steer the party forward until further decisions are made.

Prominent party stakeholders who attended the Monday NEC meeting include Governor Seyi Makinde, former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki, former Governor of Niger State Babangida Muazu, former Minister of Information Professor Jerry Gana, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and former Minister of Women Affairs Zainab Maina, among others.

This move follows the legal turmoil surrounding the previous convention. In a Supreme Court ruling delivered on April 30, a three-judge majority ruled that the appeal filed by Turaki’s faction to validate the November 2025 convention lacked merit. The court upheld earlier rulings that criticized the party for disobeying a court order.

The ruling further underscored that the PDP’s failure to adhere to the Federal High Court’s order to halt the convention was a violation of the law, leading to the dismissal of their appeal.

In the wake of this legal setback, the party’s BoT decided to take charge, ensuring the party’s activities continued while the legal processes unfolded.

The leadership appointment aims to bring stability and restore order within the PDP as it moves forward with its internal resolutions.