Former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) founding father, Sule Lamido, explained his decision to sue his own party and delivered a scathing critique of its current leadership, whom he labels “political immigrants” who have hijacked and “wrecked” the party’s legacy.
The Founding Vision vs. The Current Reality
Lamido framed the PDP’s inception in 1998 as a noble project to salvage a disunited Nigeria post-June 12, built on principles of “mutual respect, integrity, honour, and human empathy.” He expressed profound sadness that this vision is now “being washed away” by individuals with “no character,” leading to a country riddled with division, poverty, and a loss of hope in government.
On His Lawsuit and the “Null and Void” Convention
Lamido’s lawsuit is the central thread of the current crisis. He clarifies that he was forced to take legal action after being physically denied a form to contest for the party’s national chairmanship—a right he believes is fundamental. He declares the recent Ibadan convention “null and void” as it was held in defiance of a court order stemming from his case. He confirms that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withheld recognition from any PDP faction pending the resolution of his appeal.
The “Political Immigrants” and the Crisis of Character
He reserves his strongest criticism for the current generation of PDP governors and leaders, naming Nyesom Wike, Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, and Samuel Ortom as central figures in the party’s downfall.
On Defections He argues that governors defecting to the ruling APC are not motivated by self-interest and the calculation that the APCsecure” path to re-election. He calls this act “grave dishonour,” stating that honourable politicians would relinquish their mandates before switching parties, as was done in the past.
On His Suspension: He dismisses his suspension by the Adolphus Wabara-led BoT faction with contempt, labelling Wabara a “shell” and “politically empty” for previously endorsing a Labour Party governor, an act he considers “political treason.”
On Wike and the G-5 Lamido reiterates his six-month-old vow to boycott all PDP meetings until Wike and Ortom are expelled for openly vowing to support President Bola Tinubu in 2027. He describes the bloc of governors (Wike, Makinde, Bala, Ortom, and Fintiri) as “monsters” and “aliens” to the PDP’s core values who were “hands in glove” in pursuing their own interests until they “fell apart.”
Lamido believes the PDP can be saved, but only if there is a genuine “commitment to democracy” and “sense of service” among its true leaders. However, he is preparing for the worst.
His message to supporters in Jigawa, who come from a principled political background, is to wait and see. If the PDP fails to put its house in order, he will guide them to form a local alliance with another party to secure their political futures, signaling that the once-dominant PDP is no longer a guaranteed vehicle for its own faithful.
In Essence
Lamido presents himself as the guardian of a betrayed political legacy. His lawsuit is not merely a personal grievance but a last stand against a generation of leaders he believes traded the party’s soul for personal power, leading it to the brink of irrelevance.
