Election season is usually a time of open contests, new ambitions and fresh starts.
But what happens when the gate to politics is closed  not by law, but by those in power?

On Monday, October 28, 2025, veteran politician Sule Lamido arrived at the headquarters of Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja. He came prepared to purchase the nomination and expression-of-interest forms to contest for the party’s national chairmanship. Instead, he walked away without them  denied access to the very entry ticket to the race.

Why was Lamido shut out?
What is the party’s justification?
And what does this shut-out tell us about democracy and internal party rule in Nigeria?

This is what we are discussing in today’s episode of Nigeria Daily.