Faction bypasses INEC portal block As the battle for the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues, the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Management Committee (INMC) of the party announced it has forwarded the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate. This move comes despite INEC’s refusal to recognise the Turaki group and its subsequent denial of the electoral umpire’s access code to upload names of candidates. The group previously conducted primaries for about 1,470 candidates who were also issued certificates of return.
- +2027: Confusion in PDP, as Turaki’s group sends Jonathan’s name, others to INEC
Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee of the PDP, stated this on Friday while giving updates on the state of the party and its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee of the PDP, stated this on Friday while giving updates on the state of the party and its preparations for the 2027 general elections. BusinessDay checks show that the electoral umpire handed over the INEC access code to the Nyesom Wike-led group. A check on the INEC portal further revealed that the electoral commission recognised only the Wike-led PDP, which has Mohammed as the national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as the national secretary.
The rival group subsequently uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Babangida Umaru, to the INEC candidate nomination portal. Recently, the Turaki-led group visited former President Goodluck Jonathan at his Abuja residence, where they stated he purchased the PDP form to contest the 2027 presidential election on its platform. A total of 1,471 candidates—comprising one presidential candidate, 28 governorship, 109 senatorial, 360 House of Representatives, and 993 State House of Assembly candidates—were issued certificates of return by the Turaki-led group at an elaborate ceremony at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Legal battles and manual submissions Ememobong disclosed that the party sent names manually and chided INEC over its refusal to recognise the Turaki group despite receiving notifications and several reminders. The current crisis dates back to the November 15 and 16 aborted Ibadan national convention, where the party expelled Wike and others for anti-party activities. INEC refused to attend and monitor the convention in obedience to Justice Omotoso’s judgment ordering the party not to proceed.
Candidates express unwavering resolve The faction remains confident that the Court of Appeal will provide necessary clarification and reaffirm the supremacy of earlier decisions by higher courts. In anticipation of this outcome, the party met with its candidates, who expressed complete confidence in the legal and constitutional processes and reaffirmed their commitment to reclaiming the party.
Accordingly, the party announced that notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide access codes—which it described as an administrative convenience rather than a legal requirement—it successfully submitted the list of sponsored candidates manually in full compliance with the Electoral Act. The submission contains the names of presidential candidate Goodluck Jonathan, alongside all governorship, national assembly, and state assembly candidates, with receipt duly acknowledged by INEC.
The group noted that in line with the electoral timetable, INEC will soon publish the names of candidates sponsored by political parties. “Should the commission publish names other than those lawfully submitted by us, we urge our members, supporters and the teeming Nigerians who eagerly await the candidature of President Jonathan and our other candidates not to despair,” Ememobong said. “We are exhausting every constitutional, legal and democratic avenue to ensure that our party is not hijacked or annexed to the ruling party”.
