Fresh 2027 Twist As Turaki PDP Faction Nominates Jonathan For Presidency

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN), has announced that it submitted the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the faction’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the group also forwarded the names of its governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly candidates, insisting the submissions complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

According to Ememobong, INEC acknowledged receipt of the documents submitted manually but allegedly failed to provide the electronic submission codes required for the nomination process.

He maintained that the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee remains the legitimate leadership of the PDP, arguing that previous Supreme Court decisions created a vacuum in the party’s national leadership, prompting the Board of Trustees and a National Executive Committee meeting convened through members’ requisition to establish an interim structure.

Ememobong said the faction subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Abuja after INEC allegedly declined to recognise the interim leadership despite being formally notified of its emergence.

He also criticised a recent judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim, claiming it was inconsistent with earlier decisions of both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, which the faction relied upon in its case.

According to him, the judgment has already been appealed, expressing confidence that the appellate court will overturn the decision.

The PDP chieftain further alleged irregularities in the issuance of the Certified True Copy of the judgment, claiming certain portions did not accurately reflect the ruling delivered in open court.

Ememobong also accused INEC of failing to maintain neutrality in the party’s leadership dispute, alleging that the electoral body had ignored court orders and material facts favourable to the faction.

He argued that if the commission eventually publishes a different list of candidates, it would reinforce concerns about its impartiality and create the impression that it was taking sides in the PDP crisis.

Despite the dispute, he urged party members to remain calm and assured them that the faction would continue to pursue legal and constitutional remedies to reclaim what it described as the authentic leadership of the party.

Ememobong insisted that the manual submission of candidates was carried out in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, despite the alleged refusal by INEC to grant the faction access to the electronic nomination portal.

He added that the group remains confident that the courts will ultimately resolve the leadership crisis in its favour and reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the matter to a legal conclusion.