2027 Twist: INEC Rejects PDP Faction’s Attempt To Submit Jonathan As Presidential Candidate

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it submitted a list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, including former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

The electoral commission maintained that all political parties are required to submit candidates exclusively through its designated electronic portal, stressing that manual submissions do not comply with the approved nomination process.

INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Ita-Messi, made the clarification in an interview with Leadership on Friday while responding to the faction’s announcement.

Although she said she could not verify whether any documents had been delivered to the commission, Ita-Messi insisted that the recognised procedure for candidate nomination is through INEC’s online portal.

“I am not in a position to confirm whether such a submission was made, but I can say that there is an established procedure for political parties to upload the names of their candidates through the INEC portal,” she said.

She also questioned the faction’s explanation that it had been denied access to the commission’s electronic platform but still managed to submit its candidates.

“If they claim they were denied the access code, then how were they able to submit the list of candidates?” she asked.

INEC’s response followed a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday by the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP faction, during which it announced that it had forwarded its list of candidates for the 2027 elections to the commission.

The faction claimed the list included former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential standard-bearer, alongside governorship and National Assembly candidates.

According to the group, it resorted to manual submission after allegedly being denied the access credentials required to upload its candidates electronically.

Speaking on behalf of the faction, National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong argued that the manual submission was consistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

He also accused INEC of failing to remain impartial in the PDP’s ongoing leadership dispute, alleging that the commission had ignored relevant court decisions and facts surrounding the party’s internal crisis.