Senator Muhammed Makarfi has resigned as secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party's Board of Trustees, citing the need to avoid overlap with the new national chairman from the same region. The move follows the PDP's national convention in Ibadan, where Kabiru Tanimu Turaki emerged as chairman. Makarfi's decision highlights ongoing leadership dynamics within the party.
Senator Muhammed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State and secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), formally resigned his position on November 17, 2025. In a letter addressed to BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara and shared with journalists in Kaduna that evening, Makarfi explained that he had initially resigned informally about two months earlier via the BoT's WhatsApp platform. Wabara had urged him to remain until after the party's national convention.
Makarfi's primary reason for resigning, both initially and now, is his belief that the PDP national chairman and BoT secretary should not hail from the same geopolitical zone. With Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), now elected as national chairman from the North West—where Makarfi also originates—he felt it necessary to step aside to give the new leader full space. 'Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it’s necessary to give him full space to do the needful,' Makarfi wrote. He commended Wabara for their respectful relationship and thanked BoT members for their support during his tenure.
The resignation coincides with the PDP's Elective Convention in Ibadan, which installed Turaki and other new officers. In his acceptance speech, Turaki pledged to restore power to Nigerians, vowing 'no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians.' He urged the judiciary to uphold democratic principles, including stare decisis, and avoid any perception of undermining democracy. Turaki emphasized listening to party members' yearnings, declaring, 'No more monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,' and noted the PDP's enduring brand through its original name, motto, and logo.
Note a discrepancy in sources: one refers to Makarfi as 'Muhammed,' another as 'Ahmed,' though both confirm the resignation.