2027: We’ve Submitted Jonathan’s Name As Presidential Candidate – PDP Faction
ABUJA — The Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party said it has submitted the name of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission as its candidate for the 2027 presidential poll. The spokesman of the PDP faction, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja. He said the party has also submitted the list of its candidates for other positions to the electoral umpire.
The opposition party has been polarized, with one of the camps led by Abdulraham Mohammed and the other led by Turaki. However, the Mohammed bloc, which is supported by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is recognized by INEC. Recently, both camps coordinated parallel primaries to nominate candidates for the 2027 general election. While the Mohammed camp nominated Senator Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate, the Turaki bloc settled for Jonathan as the PDP presidential flag bearer.
Ememobong, while insisting that the Turaki-led INWC is the authentic leadership of the PDP, said since INEC refused to give access codes to them for upload of party candidates, the list was sent to the electoral commission manually. He said the submission contained the names of their Presidential Candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as all Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates, and that receipt was duly acknowledged by INEC.
He added that as part of the electoral timetable, INEC will soon publish the names of candidates sponsored by political parties. He urged PDP members and supporters not to despair should the Commission publish names other than those lawfully submitted by them. He explained that recently, a suit was filed before a Federal High Court, seeking an order directing INEC to recognize the Turaki-led INWC as the authentic leadership of the PDP. He noted that the judgment by the Court seems more like an appeal on the verdicts of superior courts. He said it is for this reason that they have exercised their constitutional right of appeal. He also noted that the Certified True Copy of the judgment was released after considerable delay, and did not fully reflect portions of the judgment as delivered in open court.
He stated that the development raises legitimate concerns, which will also be addressed through the appropriate legal processes, and expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal will provide the necessary clarification and reaffirm the supremacy of the earlier decisions of the higher courts. He said their decision to seek judicial intervention was about preserving the integrity of the Peoples Democratic Party from those who seek to reduce Nigeria’s foremost opposition party into an appendage of the ruling party.
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