PDP Crisis Deepens as Faction Submits Jonathan’s Name to INEC for 2027 Presidential Election

• The Turaki-led faction insists on manual submission, while INEC rejects the move and the main PDP leadership dismisses it as “illegal and worthless.”

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has submitted the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, escalating the lingering leadership crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party.

The group, operating under the Interim National Working Committee (INWC) headed by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) , said the submission was made in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 after what it described as difficulties encountered in accessing the electronic submission platform. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday night, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the party forwarded Jonathan’s name alongside those of governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates across the country. According to him, the submission was done manually after the faction allegedly failed to receive the necessary electronic access codes from INEC.

“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,” Ememobong said. He maintained that the faction remains the legitimate leadership of the PDP, arguing that previous court decisions created a vacuum in the party’s national leadership structure. Ememobong said the development led to the establishment of an interim leadership arrangement by the party’s Board of Trustees and a National Executive Committee meeting convened through member requisition.

The spokesman disclosed that the faction had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja after INEC allegedly declined to recognise the interim leadership despite receiving formal notifications regarding its emergence. He also faulted a recent judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim, insisting that the ruling was inconsistent with earlier decisions of superior courts. “The judgment reads more like an appeal on the judgments of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal,” he stated. Ememobong said the faction had already challenged the ruling at the Court of Appeal and expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the decision.

The PDP faction accused INEC of failing to remain neutral in matters relating to the opposition party. Ememobong claimed that the commission had repeatedly ignored facts and court orders which he said were favourable to the faction. “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.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed the faction’s claim of a valid submission. INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Ita-Messi, stated that political parties are required to submit candidates’ names electronically through the commission’s designated portal. “Submission is only done on a dedicated portal as stipulated by our regulations and guidelines please,” Ita-Messi said. She questioned how the faction could claim to have successfully submitted candidates after alleging it was denied access to the commission’s electronic platform.

The main PDP leadership, backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and led by Abdulraham Mohammed, has rejected the purported submission, describing the move as “illegal and worthless” . The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said only a legally recognised leadership with authorised access to INEC’s candidate nomination portal could submit names on behalf of the PDP. He urged Jonathan to publicly distance himself from the faction, warning that his silence could be interpreted as approval. “It is just wishful thinking, and the most unfortunate thing about the whole of this charade is how a respected former president of this country, Goodluck Jonathan, has allowed himself to be ridiculed by this group of recalcitrant and disloyal citizens of this country,” Mohammed stated. He argued that INEC did not prescribe any manual way of submitting a list of candidates, questioning whether the purported candidates emerged from valid primaries monitored by INEC.

The development places the PDP leadership dispute at the centre of the 2027 election preparations. The rival PDP camp has already submitted Senator Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate, while the Turaki-led faction insists on Jonathan’s candidacy. The Turaki-led faction has warned that if INEC publishes names different from those it submitted, it would reinforce public concerns about the commission’s impartiality. The group has vowed to pursue all legal and constitutional avenues to ensure its candidates are recognised.

However, former President Jonathan has not publicly commented on the development as of the time of filing this report. The faction had ratified Jonathan as its candidate on 30 May for the January 2027 presidential election, but the former president has yet to comment on his choice since then. His silence has raised questions about whether he actually accepts the nomination or is distancing himself from the faction’s actions.

PDP Crisis Deepens as Faction Submits Jonathan’s Name to INEC for 2027 Presidential Election

Where Will Peter Obi’s Votes Come From? I Can’t See It – Keyamo Predicts Tinubu’s Landslide Victory

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has predicted that President Bola Tinubu will defeat opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, describing the contest as more of a “coronation” than an election. Keyamo made the declaration during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would comfortably retain power in the next general election. The minister’s remarks came shortly after he accused Obi of lying over claims of political harassment at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport—a dispute that has dominated public discourse in recent weeks.

Responding to a question on whether he could confidently ask Nigerians to vote for President Tinubu and the APC again, Keyamo said the government’s achievements had already earned the support of many Nigerians. He pointed to recent electoral victories as evidence of the party’s dominance, stating, “Everybody in the world has attested to the facts. To be honest, nobody can say all of it now. But we won in Ekiti. We told them to vote and they voted. In the FCT, they voted. We won already.” When the interviewer pointed out that Peter Obi—the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate—would be on the ballot in 2027 and asked what gave him confidence of victory, Keyamo dismissed Obi’s electoral chances with a rhetorical question. “I’m looking around. Between you and me, where will Obi’s votes come from? I can’t see it,” he said. Even after the interviewer suggested that many Nigerians might disagree with his assessment, the minister maintained his position, repeating, “I don’t see where it will come from.”

Asked whether former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar posed a major challenge to the APC, the minister brushed aside the suggestion with laughter. “Which Atiku? Nightmare who?” he retorted. Keyamo then made a bold prediction about the outcome of the election, urging his audience not to misinterpret his confidence. “I want to make a profound closing statement. Not out of arrogance. Not out of overconfidence. But out of pure demographic calculations. The 2027 election is a coronation, not an election. I repeat, don’t take me out of context. Out of pure demographic calculations, it’s a coronation,” he declared. When the interviewer asked whether he was implying that the election would be rigged, Keyamo rejected the suggestion, insisting that his comments were based solely on electoral demographics. “You see yourself. You heard what I said. Demographic calculations. You are taking it somewhere else. I didn’t say that,” he responded. As the interview drew to a close, the minister ended the exchange in pidgin, delivering a cryptic warning to the opposition. “I don tey with una, no dey worry me like this… Everywhere go blur. Everywhere go blur.” He also added, “Jungle is about to be mature, eh? Very well. Everywhere go blur for them.”

READ ALSO:

• Obi Must Apologise, Pay ₦25,000 or Face FAAN Action — Keyamo Issues Ultimatum
• Grand Chief Imam warns Bennylee against religious provocation, urges respect for judicial process
• DSS arraigns five suspected Ansaru members over Oyo school abduction, alleged killings

Keyamo’s latest remarks came shortly after he accused Peter Obi of lying over claims that he was harassed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. During the same television interview, the minister criticised the interviewer for not confronting Obi over the allegation during an earlier interview with the opposition politician. According to Keyamo, CCTV footage from the airport contradicted Obi’s claims that his vehicle was unfairly clamped because of his opposition status. The minister detailed that Obi arrived at the airport’s domestic terminal on July 4, 2026, at about 8:28 p.m. in a vehicle driven by a police officer. He said the driver parked in a designated drop-off zone and left the vehicle unattended for about 30 minutes in a restricted area, in violation of airport regulations. Keyamo maintained that airport workers acted professionally and had no knowledge that the vehicle belonged to Obi when they carried out the enforcement action. He also alleged that when the driver discovered the clamp, Obi spoke with an airport manager and requested the vehicle’s release, which was granted without payment of the prescribed ₦25,000 fine, describing the incident as “influence peddling.” During the interview, Keyamo described Obi’s claims as false, stating, “Then I saw the man was lying. He lies like a fish drinking water. He lies. He lies for fun.” The minister had earlier demanded that the former Anambra State governor apologise to airport personnel and pay the ₦25,000 parking fine, warning that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) could take further action if the demands were ignored.

The Obidient Movement has strongly rejected Keyamo’s account, accusing the minister of releasing “poorly edited propaganda” and manipulating CCTV footage to discredit Obi. The group argued that the timestamps in Keyamo’s own footage show Obi’s vehicle arriving at 20:28 and being clamped at approximately 20:34—six minutes, not thirty. According to the movement, “The timestamps show the vehicle arriving at 20:28 and being clamped at approximately 20:34. That is six minutes, not thirty.” It further alleged that the minister deliberately zoomed in on the seconds display of the CCTV footage in an attempt to create the impression that viewers were looking at the minute counter, describing the exercise as misleading. The group also stated that Keyamo’s own footage contradicted his allegation that Peter Obi’s vehicle blocked the airport terminal entrance, stressing that another vehicle was seen pulling up behind it without any obstruction. It maintained that the video supported Peter Obi’s earlier claim that other vehicles were parked in the same area, alleging that enforcement officers singled out only the opposition leader’s vehicle. Obi’s spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, also challenged Keyamo’s reference to a “police driver,” stating that Peter Obi does not have any police or civil defence personnel attached to him in Abuja. He said the incident contained in Keyamo’s post was not the one Obi narrated publicly, suggesting a pattern of targeting the opposition figure.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Moh Lukman, has warned that continued divisions and personal ambitions among opposition leaders could hand President Tinubu and the APC another electoral victory in 2027. Lukman identified Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as prominent opposition figures whose individual presidential ambitions could weaken efforts to unseat the ruling party. “Lack of unity among the opposition was largely responsible for the electoral victory of APC. The same reality is manifesting itself again with the same two leading opposition personalities emerging as candidates against President Tinubu,” Lukman said. “If truly their objective is about defeating APC and President Tinubu, why are they unable to recognise that once they are divided, it is as good as conceding electoral victory to APC and President Tinubu?”

Where Will Peter Obi’s Votes Come From? I Can’t See It – Keyamo Predicts Tinubu’s Landslide Victory

ADC Youth Wing Demands Probe into Primaries Irregularities, Insists Implicated Leaders Must Resign

• The National Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for an independent investigation into alleged widespread irregularities during the party’s primary elections, warning that failure to address the complaints could undermine the party’s credibility as Nigeria’s leading opposition platform.

The crisis rocking the Senator David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a fresh turn on Wednesday as the party’s National Youth Wing demanded an independent investigation into alleged irregularities that marred its primary elections across the country. The youth wing also insisted that any party leaders found culpable should immediately resign from their positions.

The ADC National Youth Leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai, disclosed this in Abuja during a press briefing, stating that the party’s youth wing could no longer remain silent over allegations that, if proven, would undermine the party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency and fairness. He urged the National Working Committee to immediately establish an independent review panel to investigate all complaints arising from the primaries.

Rufai revealed that the youth wing had received petitions from aspirants across 23 states alleging manipulation of candidate nominations, financial inducements and other breaches of the party’s constitution. He warned that failure to address the complaints could undermine the ADC’s credibility as Nigeria’s leading opposition platform.

Speaking passionately at the briefing, Rufai recounted the hopes that had accompanied the party’s primary elections, noting that thousands of party members had participated believing the process would reflect the ADC’s democratic ideals. “Only a few months ago, thousands of party members across our wards, local governments, and states celebrated what many believed would mark another important chapter in the democratic journey of our great party,” he said. “Aspirants invested their personal resources, supporters travelled long distances, volunteers gave countless hours, and young Nigerians stood shoulder to shoulder with hope that every legitimate vote and every genuine mandate would be respected. For many, the primary election was more than a contest for party tickets. It was a test of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and internal democracy. Today, that hope has been overshadowed by deep concern.”

READ ALSO:

• US Shuts Down Routine Visa Processing at Abuja Embassy, 24 Other African Missions
• Osun govt accuses police of raiding SSG, commissioners’ homes without warrants
• Mutfwang Clarifies Apology to Igbo Community: “My Words Were Twisted”

Rufai disclosed that formal petitions had already been submitted to the party’s Legal Department by the Appeal Committee constituted by the party, as well as by aggrieved aspirants, but lamented that no action had been taken. He said the exercise had instead generated widespread dissatisfaction among aspirants.

The youth leader detailed the nature of the allegations, stating that the youth wing had received petitions supported by documentary evidence alleging that some party officials accepted improper financial inducements to alter candidate nominations across over twenty-three states. “If these allegations are true, then those affected deserve justice, our members deserve answers, and our party deserves the courage to confront the truth,” Rufai declared. “If these allegations are established through an independent investigation, they would represent a grave violation of our party’s constitution, democratic principles, and the trust of our members. We now hold official records, petitions, and correspondence submitted by affected members for review.”

He painted a vivid picture of the human toll of the crisis, stating: “Behind every petition is a person who invested hope, time, resources, and the confidence of their supporters in this process. Today, some have resigned from the party they helped to build. Others have turned to the courts because they believe they have nowhere else to seek redress. Many remain within our ranks, waiting patiently for their concerns to be heard. Their disappointment should concern every leader who believes in justice and fairness.”

Rufai warned that every unresolved complaint weakens confidence in the party’s internal processes and places unnecessary strain on the unity needed ahead of the general election. “This uncertainty threatens our standing as the largest opposition force on the continent,” he said. “The Youth Wing will not stand by while the collective effort of millions of loyal members is undermined. As the voice of the largest demographic within our party, we have a responsibility to speak when the confidence of our members is at stake. This is not about protecting individuals or settling political scores. It is about protecting the integrity of our party. Every honest official should welcome an independent review because transparency strengthens institutions, while silence only fuels suspicion.”

He called for immediate, transparent, and decisive action, urging the National Working Committee to establish an independent review process to examine every complaint promptly and fairly. “Any official found, after a fair and independent investigation, to have manipulated the nomination process or accepted improper inducements must face the full disciplinary measures provided under the party’s constitution. Where credible evidence indicates criminal conduct, the matter should be referred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities,” he stated.

In a direct challenge to the party’s leadership, Rufai stated: “It is high time that if the current leadership of the party cannot bring the perpetrators of these gross injustices to book, then they must resign and make way for those ready to restore integrity to our party.”

He also called on aggrieved aspirants across the 36 states to submit their petitions, delegate tallies, video evidence and other supporting documents to the Office of the National Youth Leader for compilation and presentation to the appropriate organs of the party.

Despite the controversy, Rufai reaffirmed the youth wing’s loyalty to the ADC and declared support for the party’s presidential ticket of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, alongside all validly nominated candidates nationwide. “We believe this party is strongest when it is transparent, accountable, and faithful to its own rules. We owe every aspirant a fair process, every member an honest organization, and every Nigerian the confidence that we are prepared to hold ourselves to the same standards we expect of others. No political party can ask Nigerians to trust its commitment to democracy if it is unwilling to defend democracy within its own house.”

To ensure these issues are exhaustively pursued, Rufai announced that the ADC Youth Wing Legal Advisers, chaired by Barr. I.U. Wali and Barr. Juliet Laba, would work directly with aggrieved aspirants until all their issues are justifiably resolved.

The youth wing’s intervention comes amid wider turmoil within the ADC, which has been grappling with multiple leadership disputes and legal battles. The party, led by former Senate President David Mark, has been entangled in a leadership crisis with a faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe . The Gombe faction recently asked INEC to remove David Mark’s National Working Committee from its portal and threatened Atiku Abubakar with legal action over his presidential candidacy. In April 2026, the ADC youth wing had previously issued a three-day ultimatum to INEC, demanding the restoration and recognition of the David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola-led leadership, accusing the electoral body of undermining democratic processes .

Rufai concluded his remarks with a prayer: “May Almighty God give us the wisdom to pursue justice with fairness and integrity. May He comfort those who have suffered injustice and grant our party leadership the courage to enforce transparency without fear or favor. We pray for God’s guidance upon our presidential team, all valid candidates, and the entire nation. Amen.”

ADC Youth Wing Demands Probe into Primaries Irregularities, Insists Implicated Leaders Must Resign