The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken another dramatic turn, with a faction of the opposition party claiming it has formally submitted the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The development underscores the deepening divisions within the PDP, which has been battling prolonged disputes over its national leadership and control of the party ahead of the next general elections.
According to the faction’s Interim National Working Committee (INWC), led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kabiru Turaki, Jonathan’s name was submitted alongside those of the faction’s governorship, National Assembly and state House of Assembly candidates in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday night, the Interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, disclosed that the documents were submitted manually after INEC allegedly denied the faction access to the electronic portal and submission codes required for candidate nominations.
Despite the setback, Ememobong said the electoral commission acknowledged receipt of the documents, insisting that the manual submission complied fully with the Electoral Act.
He maintained that the Interim National Working Committee represents the legitimate leadership of the PDP, arguing that a Supreme Court judgment had effectively left the party without a legally recognised national executive.
According to him, the vacuum prompted the PDP’s Board of Trustees, working with members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) through a requisition process, to establish an interim leadership structure to steer the affairs of the party.
Ememobong explained that the faction subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Abuja after INEC allegedly failed to recognise the interim leadership, despite receiving formal notifications about its constitution and subsequent reminders.
The PDP spokesman also criticised a recent judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim, describing the ruling as inconsistent with earlier decisions of both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, which he said formed the legal basis of the faction’s claims.
According to him, the judgment appeared to challenge the authority of the apex court rather than follow its established position.
“The judgment reads more like an appeal on the judgments of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal,” Ememobong stated.
He disclosed that the faction had already appealed the ruling and expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the decision and reaffirm what it considers the authentic leadership of the party.
Ememobong further alleged irregularities in the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, claiming that portions of the document did not accurately reflect the ruling delivered in open court.
The faction also accused INEC of abandoning its constitutional responsibility to remain impartial in political matters.
According to Ememobong, the commission’s conduct including its court filings, legal arguments and alleged refusal to comply with court orders favourable to the faction has raised serious questions about its neutrality.
“The Commission’s filings, its arguments before the courts, and its refusal to comply with court orders favourable to our Party have collectively created an impression of institutional bias that should concern every Nigerian,” he said.
He argued that if INEC eventually publishes a different list of candidates from those submitted by the faction, it would reinforce public concerns about the commission’s impartiality and create the perception that it was backing those allegedly working to weaken Nigeria’s opposition parties.
The PDP spokesman, however, urged members and supporters not to lose confidence in the party or the judicial process should such a scenario occur.
He assured party faithful that the faction would continue to pursue all available constitutional and legal remedies to reclaim what it described as the authentic PDP structure.
Ememobong described the leadership tussle as part of a wider battle to preserve Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, warning against what he termed attempts to silence opposition voices and pave the way for a one-party state.
He insisted that the faction’s candidates remain committed to defending their mandate through the courts.
“Notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes, we have successfully submitted, manually and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic Peoples Democratic Party,” he stated.
He concluded by warning against what he called “electoral authoritarianism,” stressing that democratic institutions should serve all political parties fairly rather than be used as instruments to suppress opposition.
As the PDP leadership crisis continues to unfold, political observers say the outcome of the ongoing legal battles could have significant implications for the party’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general election.
