The national leadership of Nigeria’s major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has appealed to former Jigawa State governor Alhaji Sule Lamido to sheathe his sword and support ongoing efforts to stabilise the party.
The call follows Lamido’s recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, where he criticised the party’s handling of its leadership crisis and referenced a court case he instituted over the matter.
Speaking on the development, Umar Sani, a close associate of the PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), said several claims made by the former governor in the interview were inaccurate and required clarification.
According to Sani, contrary to Lamido’s assertion that the party violated court directives during its national convention, no court barred the PDP from holding the convention.
He explained that the court only ordered the party to allow Lamido to participate in the contest after proper verification—an order which the PDP had already appealed at the Supreme Court.
Sani also disclosed that another court sitting in Ibadan granted the party explicit permission to conduct its convention, noting that the exercise produced new national officers, contrary to Lamido’s claim that the party currently lacks legitimate leadership.
He appealed to the former governor to demonstrate maturity and place the party’s unity above personal grievances.
“Sule Lamido is a founding figure in the PDP. At this critical moment, what the party needs is cohesion, not prolonged litigation,” Sani said.
“If we remain trapped in court battles, victory will continue to elude us.”
The PDP leadership urged Lamido to work closely with Chairman Turaki, stressing that both men have long enjoyed cordial relations and can still steer the party away from internal strife.
The appeal comes at a time when the PDP is struggling with internal disputes and public criticism over its handling of recent electoral and administrative issues.
