Nigeria’s main opposition party has plunged deeper into crisis after a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced that it had manually submitted former President Goodluck Jonathan’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, despite an ongoing leadership dispute within the party.
The Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) said it submitted Jonathan’s nomination and the names of its governorship, National Assembly and state assembly candidates after it was denied access to INEC’s digital nomination portal. The faction insisted the manual submission complies with the Electoral Act.
Faction Defies Recognition Dispute
Speaking in Abuja, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the inability to access INEC’s electronic portal did not invalidate its nominations.
He argued that manual submission remains lawful and urged supporters not to panic if INEC initially fails to publish the names of the faction’s candidates.
Leadership Crisis Worsens
The latest development comes amid the PDP’s lingering leadership crisis, with rival groups laying claim to the party’s national structure.
INEC is yet to formally recognise the Turaki-led faction, leaving uncertainty over whether the submitted list will be accepted for the 2027 elections.
Fresh Twist Ahead of 2027
The submission adds another layer of uncertainty to Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general election, with legal and political battles over the PDP’s authentic leadership expected to continue.