Former Jigawa State Governor and one-time Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sule Lamido has expressed disappointment over his inability to obtain the nomination form for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Lamido described the development as strange and a violation of the party’s internal procedures.
Lamido, who arrived at the PDP’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, says he met locked offices and uncooperative officials who claimed ignorance about the forms’ availability.
At the Office of the National Chairman, the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu in company of the National Organising Secretary, Umar Barure said they have no knowledge of the sales of nomination forms. Bature explained further that he was even locked outside his office.
The former Governor accused unnamed party leaders of hijacking the process and frustrating his attempt to join the race.
Irritated, Lamido suggested that the situation might be a deliberate attempt to exclude him from the contest. He described the development as weird with top party administrators not having access to their own offices.
He alleged that the process had been taken over by the National Convention Organising Committee, chaired by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, claiming that the nomination forms were now being controlled from Adamawa State rather than the PDP headquarters.
When asked about reports suggesting that the sale of forms had closed on September 3, Lamido dismissed it, stressing that such decisions could only be ratified by the National Executive Committee, NEC and not individuals acting on their own.
Despite his frustrations, Lamido expressed optimism that the issue would eventually be resolved, describing it as a family problem within the PDP.
He emphasised that the party must get its internal structure right to stand any chance against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to claims that PDP Governors had refused to support his ambition because of alleged links with the African Democratic Congress, ADC Lamido dismissed such suggestions as baseless, insisting on his loyalty to the PDP since its formation.
Lamido also criticised what he calls the rush and secrecy surrounding preparations for the national elective convention, questioning why procedures that should be open and transparent were being handled behind closed doors.
The former Governor’s ordeal has renewed attention to the growing internal power struggle within the PDP, particularly between its founding members and sitting Governors as the party moves closer to its national elective convention ahead of the 2027 general elections.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
