The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed the screening exercise for aspirants seeking elective positions ahead of its national convention scheduled for 15 and 16 November in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The screening, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 28 October, was suspended until further notice.
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The Chairperson of the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), Ahmadu Fintiri, announced the postponement in a statement on Monday.
“The National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has put on hold the screening of aspirants for the 2025 Elective National Convention, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, due to unforeseen circumstances. A new date will be communicated once fixed. The NCOC regrets any inconveniences caused by the postponement,” he said.
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Mr Fintiri, who is also the governor of Adamawa State, urged aspirants and party members to remain calm, assuring them that the national convention will still hold as planned.
“All Aspirants and members of our party should note the foregoing and be guided accordingly. The NCOC remains committed to delivering a credible, hitch-free 2025 Elective National Convention on Saturday, 15th to Sunday, 16th November, 2025 in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.”
The opposition PDP, which governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2015, is expected to elect a new national chairperson at the convention.
During its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on 25 August at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, the PDP resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, while retaining the position of national chairman for the North.
Umar Damagum, who is the national chair of the party, is from Yobe State, North-east Nigeria.
The zoning decision has received support among party members and leaders, although a few have opposed it, arguing that the presidential ticket should be open to all regions.
The disagreement led a group of party members loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to approach the court to stop the planned national convention.
However, on 9 October, the Federal High Court in Abuja refused to grant an interim injunction restraining the party from holding both its NEC meeting and the convention.
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Even within the North, where the chairmanship position has been retained, differences persist among aspirants.
Reports stated that northern PDP stakeholders have endorsed Kabiru Turaki, a former minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs from Kebbi State, North-west, as their consensus candidate for the position.
However, Sule Lamido, a former Governor of Jigawa State, has also declared his intention to contest the chairmanship seat, despite the reported endorsement of a consensus candidate.
