\n\nThe Peoples Democratic Party’s deepening leadership crisis reached a new peak on Wednesday as two rival factions separately presented certificates of return and nomination documents to their chosen candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The development came barely 24 hours before INEC’s scheduled release of access codes for uploading candidate names, intensifying the battle for control of the party’s structure and ticket.
The faction led by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led Interim National Working Committee both held events in Abuja, insisting they represent the authentic leadership of the PDP.
Turaki Faction’s Position
At its stakeholders’ meeting, the Turaki-led group declared it had successfully produced candidates for all elective positions across the country and is ready to contest every constituency in 2027.
Turaki announced that the faction had cleared 28 governorship candidates, 109 senatorial candidates, 360 House of Representatives candidates, and 993 State House of Assembly candidates after rigorous screening and security checks.
“It is not just about contesting; it is about contesting to win. That is why we carefully and methodically examined every individual who presented themselves as a candidate,” he said.
The faction’s National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas-Shan, claimed the party conducted ward-based primaries nationwide and nominated former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
“We have a presidential candidate who bought the forms, signed them and was duly nominated the other day. Despite all efforts to stop us, we succeeded,” Dakas-Shan stated.
The group also presented certificates of return to other candidates, including Sandy Onor as presidential candidate in one reference, alongside governorship aspirants such as Bolakale Kawu (Kwara) and Isa Pantami (Gombe). Delta State governorship candidate Benedict Etanabene praised the process as transparent and orderly.
Wike Faction’s Parallel Move
The rival faction aligned with Nyesom Wike also held its event, presenting certificates of return and nomination documents to its own slate of candidates, further highlighting the parallel structures within the party.
Each side expressed confidence that INEC would recognise its list of nominees as the authentic PDP candidates.
Implications for 2027
The parallel issuance of certificates underscores the PDP’s prolonged internal leadership dispute and sets the stage for a potential legal and electoral showdown as the party prepares to submit its candidates for the 2027 polls.
This latest development comes amid ongoing tensions over who controls the party’s national leadership and machinery ahead of the next general elections.
