Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna state, has resigned as secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), insisting that the party must uphold its zoning principle.

In a letter dated November 17, 2025, and addressed to Adolphus Wabara, the PDP BoT chairman, Makarfi said he could not remain in office following the election of Kabiru Turaki as national chairman, who is also from the North-West.

Makarfi stated that his decision was guided by the belief that the national chairman and the BoT secretary should not originate from the same geopolitical zone.

“The principal reason for my resignation then and now was, and is still, my belief that the national chairman of the party and the secretary should not come from the same geopolitical zone,” he wrote.

The former governor revealed that he had attempted to resign two months earlier but was persuaded by Wabara to wait until after the national convention.

“You may recall that about two months ago, I had resigned as secretary of the board and posted the same on the board’s WhatsApp platform… Mr Chairman, you may recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that produced a chairman,” the letter reads.

Makarfi explained that with a new chairman from his zone, stepping down was necessary to avoid creating an “impression of imbalance” within the party’s leadership.

“Now that a chairman has emerged from the north-west, where I come from, it is necessary to give him full space to do the needful,” he said.

He stated that the resignation takes effect immediately.

Kabiru Turaki, a former minister of special duties, was elected as the PDP national chairman on Saturday at the party’s convention in Ibadan.