Sokoto PDP crisis deepens as factions produce parallel candidates, executives
Sokoto PDP Factions Split Over Candidates and Executives Ahead of Elections
By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The internal conflict within the Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified, resulting in rival factions nominating separate governorship candidates and forming parallel state executive committees in preparation for upcoming elections.
This situation underscores the fractures within the opposition party in Sokoto, as each faction claims legitimacy endorsed by the national leadership.
One faction, reportedly aligned with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, convened a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday. During this gathering, it announced Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Sokoto as its candidate for governor. The faction also inaugurated a new state executive committee, appointing Alhaji Aminu Hayatu Tafida as chair. The proceedings were supervised by Alhaji Mustapha Borodo, a representative from the party’s national headquarters.
Notable attendees included Umar Muhammad Bature, the PDP National Organizing Secretary, and a former member of the House of Representatives from the Sokoto North/Sokoto South Federal Constituency.
While addressing the gathering, Bature indicated that the party leadership dispute would be settled through the courts, with a judgment expected on July 11, 2026, which could clarify the legitimate leadership within the state party structure.
Conversely, a rival faction loyal to former presidential aspirant Tanimu Turaki has disputed the recent developments, asserting that it represents the authentic leadership of the PDP in Sokoto State. This group had previously endorsed Alhaji Mustapha Shehu Sokoto as its candidate for governor. Shehu is a former Chairman of Sokoto North Local Government and has led the Sokoto State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria.
Alhaji Bello Aliyu Goronyo, chairman of the dissenting faction, dismissed the legitimacy of the parallel congress and executive inauguration, reaffirming that his team was duly elected and inaugurated in October 2024 for a term extending to October 2028. He argued that any rival claims to authority lack legal standing.
Goronyo emphasized that decisions made by rival factions concerning candidate endorsements and executive appointments are not binding on the party.
Political analysts note that the emergence of conflicting structures and competing candidates illustrates the depth of the PDP’s internal divisions in Sokoto State. The resolution of ongoing legal challenges is anticipated to significantly influence the party’s leadership dynamics as the elections approach.
