The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum reportedly rejected former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido as a candidate for the party’s national chairmanship due to concerns about his advanced age. Lamido, who turned 77 in August, had vowed to take legal action after being excluded from the race.
The forum instead endorsed former Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as their consensus candidate for the position. The decision came ahead of PDP’s national convention scheduled for November 15-16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Governors Cite Age and Past Experiences
A PDP Governors Forum member speaking anonymously to The Guardian revealed that Lamido’s age was a primary consideration. The source explained that while leadership capability isn’t solely age-dependent, the forum wanted to avoid repeating negative experiences from Bamanga Tukur’s tenure as party chairman.
“Do you know how old Sule Lamido is? By last August, he clocked 77,” the confidential source stated. “Leadership isn’t just about age, but we must prevent situations that could revive the party’s difficult period under Bamanga Tukur.”
Lamido had protested the forum’s decision to pre-select Turaki, declaring he would challenge the process to protect his rights. The former governor accused the PDP Governors’ Forum of unfairly blocking his candidacy through their consensus arrangement.
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