A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted former President Goodluck Jonathan's name as its presidential candidate for the 2027 elections [1].
The move signals a deepening crisis within Nigeria's main opposition party, as the leadership struggle now directly impacts the official candidate filing process with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The submission took place on Friday, July 31 [1]. The Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee filed the presidential nomination alongside candidates for the National Assembly and governorship positions [2]. This manual filing occurred after the commission reportedly refused to provide the committee with the necessary digital access codes [3].
"Notwithstanding INEC's refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes, we have successfully submitted, manually and in full, the presidential nomination of Goodluck Jonathan and other candidates," a spokesperson for the Turaki-led committee said [3].
The faction said the action was in full compliance with the extant provisions of electoral laws [2]. However, the submission has been met with resistance. Reports indicate that INEC has refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Turaki-led interim committee [1]. Some sources further state that the commission rejected Jonathan's nomination [4].
Representatives of the Turaki-led PDP faction have accused the electoral body of attempting to manipulate the party's internal affairs. A representative said that INEC is plotting to hijack the party and replace the candidacy of the former president [5].
This dispute comes as the party attempts to consolidate its position ahead of the 2027 polls [2]. The Turaki-led group maintains that it represents the authentic leadership of the party, despite the ongoing recognition row with the federal electoral authority [6].
“"Notwithstanding INEC's refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes, we have successfully submitted... the presidential nomination of Goodluck Jonathan"”
The manual submission of candidates by a non-recognized party faction creates a legal precariousness for the PDP. If INEC continues to reject the Turaki-led committee's filings, the party faces the risk of having no valid candidates on the ballot for the 2027 cycle, potentially forcing a judicial resolution to determine the party's legitimate leadership before the election deadline.
