Internal Conflict Deepens as PDP Factions Clash Over 2027 Candidate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently facing a significant internal crisis as competing factions offer contradictory stances regarding the party’s 2027 presidential ticket. While the mainstream party leadership has officially declared Senator Sandy Onor as its presidential flagbearer, a breakaway faction led by Tanimu Turaki continues to push for the ratification of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s candidate.  

The official PDP leadership, represented by National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed, has denounced the Tanimu Turaki faction’s plans to hold a convention this Saturday in Abuja as “false, misleading, and unauthorised.” The party leadership maintains that all primary elections, including the presidential contest, have been concluded according to electoral guidelines and constitutional processes.

Dismissing the reports of a Jonathan endorsement, the party stated: “The Party wishes to categorically state that no such convention, meeting, or process has been scheduled, approved, or endorsed by the leadership or any recognised organ of the Peoples Democratic Party.” They urged party members and the general public to disregard the faction’s announcement.

In a direct appeal to the former president, the PDP leadership has requested that he “publicly dissociate himself from this charade in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation.” The party has also called upon security agencies to investigate the source of the misinformation, which it claims is designed to sow political tension.

Conversely, the Turaki-led faction remains insistent on its course, claiming to have already cleared Jonathan as its sole aspirant. This splinter group has been embroiled in ongoing legal disputes regarding the legitimacy of the party’s leadership, an issue that has reached the Supreme Court.  

This public fracture underscores the heightening political stakes as opposition parties navigate internal realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. With the mainstream party firmly backing Senator Sandy Onor and the Turaki faction operating independently, the confusion surrounding the PDP’s official candidate continues to fuel uncertainty within the nation’s political landscape.