Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki has emerged as the new National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Turaki’s election was supervised by the Umar Damagum led faction of the party.
Damagum was earlier confirmed as the substantive National Chairman.
He emerged winner after polling 1,516 votes to defeat his closest rival, Senator Yakubu Lado who polled 43 votes.
Senator Lado had earlier withdrew from the chairmanship race citing zoning reasons, some of his supporters still went ahead to cast their votes for him during the election.
No fewer than 275 votes were voided to make up the 3,131 delegates that participated at the elective National Convention of the party which held at the Mainbowl of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan on Saturday.
Before the election, 2,745 delegates were accredited while total votes cast stands at 1,834.
He was adopted as the consensus candidate by Northern PDP stakeholders for the chairmanship position ahead of the party’s national convention.
Speaking after his emergence, Turaki assured party members and Nigerians that the new National Working committee under his watch will operate with fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, working to rebuild and reunite the party.
Turaki also pledged to prioritize the people’s will, promising to listen to their voices and give them what they want.
He expressed gratitude to the delegates for entrusting the new National Working Committee with the responsibility of leading the party.
He also assured the people that the committee will work tirelessly to justify their confidence.
The Chairman highlighted the PDP’s rich history, noting that it is the only party that has maintained its name, label, motto, and texture since its inception. This, he attributed to the party’s commitment to the Nigerian people.
While acknowledging the challenges ahead, the Chairman expressed confidence in the party’s ability to rise to the task and promised that guiding principles and models for achieving party goals will be rolled out soon.
In a bid to heal internal wounds, the Chairman extended an invitation to party members who have been aggrieved or have left the party to return, emphasizing that the party needs everyone’s support to rebuild and save Nigeria’s democracy.
He also urged the judiciary to respect the constitution and the principles of stare decisis, cautioning against getting involved in purely political matters.
The Chairman concluded by thanking the delegates and assuring them that the party will deliver under the new committee’s leadership, ending with a call to action and a commitment to democracy and the people.
Also, a former Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja emerge as the party’s national Secretary, unopposed.
Similarly, the other contested position, the office of the Deputy National Organising Secretary which was contested by three candidates.
At the end of the voting, Solarin Sunday Adekunle emerged winner after polling 633 votes to defeat Adelabu Malomo who scored 507 votes and Olabayiwa Ogundipe who scored 417 votes out of 1,577 total votes cast.
The oath of allegiance and oath of office was administered by Barrister Musa Adbdulwasil at about 11:50PM.
