Former Jigawa State Governor and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sule Lamido, has threatened to take legal action against the party after he was allegedly prevented from purchasing the nomination form to contest for the position of national chairman.
Lamido, who visited the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, on Monday morning, was reportedly unable to obtain the form, a situation he described as “unacceptable and undemocratic.”
“I came here to buy the form for the chairmanship position, but I was denied. This is not the democracy our party stands for,” Lamido said. “If this continues, I will have no choice but to approach the court for justice.”
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs said the office of the National Organising Secretary, where the forms are usually sold, was locked. He claimed that both the organising secretary, Umar Bature, and the party’s national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, denied knowledge of where the forms were kept.
Lamido added that he was later informed the documents were now being handled by Ahmadu Fintiri, the Governor of Adamawa State and Chairman of the PDP National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC).
“So, for me to buy the form, I have to travel to Adamawa? If I don’t get the form, I’ll go to court. Simple,” he said.
Lamido, who had earlier announced his ambition on his verified Facebook page, expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of transparency in the process. He warned that the party must not be seen as operating in secrecy or sidelining its founding members.
He also dismissed claims that some PDP governors had rejected his ambition over alleged links with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that his loyalty to the PDP had never wavered.
“Where were they when we fought for this party all through the last 25 years? Don’t bring up divisive issues. They all met me in the PDP,” he said.
Lamido further cautioned that the party risks weakening its internal democracy if such practices continue, saying the PDP must remain disciplined and uphold its constitution to regain public trust.
“The PDP should be able to organise its own house. The only way we can win is by having a party that is disciplined. If we don’t follow our procedures, how do we win elections?” he asked.
The PDP’s forthcoming national convention, scheduled for 15–16 November in Ibadan, has been overshadowed by internal disputes and litigation.
Northern PDP stakeholders recently endorsed Kabiru Turaki, a former minister of special duties, as their consensus candidate for the chairmanship position. The endorsement, reportedly made at a meeting attended by Bala Mohammed, Caleb Mutfwang, Ahmadu Fintiri, Dauda Lawal, and acting national chairman Umar Damagum, has drawn criticism from some party members who said they were excluded from the process.
The chairmanship position has been micro-zoned to the North-West, but several stakeholders from the zone have rejected the consensus arrangement, calling for a fair contest.
The suit seeking to stop the PDP convention is slated for hearing on October 31.
Ademide Adebayo.
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