Jonathan Emerges as PDP Faction’s Presidential Candidate as Turaki Camp Defies INEC Hurdles

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Thursday as the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) announced that it had formally submitted the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The faction disclosed that Jonathan’s name, alongside those of its governorship and National Assembly candidates across the country, had been delivered to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite what it described as obstacles placed before it by the electoral body.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, said the submission was carried out manually after the group was allegedly denied access to INEC’s digital candidate nomination portal.

According to him, the move was executed in strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and represented what the faction considers the authentic list of PDP candidates for the forthcoming elections.

“We are pleased to announce that we have successfully submitted, in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the complete list of candidates sponsored by the authentic PDP,” Ememobong stated.

He argued that access to INEC’s electronic portal was merely an administrative process and not a legal prerequisite for the submission of candidates’ names.

The PDP faction maintained that INEC had acknowledged receipt of the documents, which include the name of former President Jonathan as its presidential flag bearer, as well as candidates contesting governorship and National Assembly seats nationwide.

The announcement is expected to deepen the controversy surrounding the opposition party’s prolonged leadership battle, particularly as rival factions continue to lay claim to the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 polls.

Ememobong urged supporters of the faction not to lose faith if INEC eventually declines to publish the names of its candidates, insisting that every constitutional and legal avenue was being explored to protect the party from what he described as attempts to weaken the opposition.

The spokesperson also launched a scathing attack on the electoral commission, accusing it of abandoning neutrality in matters concerning the PDP and showing preference toward one side of the internal dispute.

According to him, INEC officials had repeatedly failed to acknowledge facts relating to PDP activities, including congresses and meetings that the commission itself monitored.

“In every matter involving our party, including court proceedings before the Ibadan convention, material facts known to INEC officials were allegedly withheld or ignored,” he said.

Ememobong further alleged that the commission appeared to possess greater knowledge of the PDP’s internal affairs than ordinary members of the party, a situation he claimed raised serious questions about impartiality.

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The faction also called on INEC to refrain from publishing candidate lists until all pending legal disputes relating to the party’s leadership had been conclusively resolved by the courts.

On the legal front, Ememobong confirmed that the group had filed an appeal against a recent judgment delivered by Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, arguing that it contradicted earlier decisions of both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

According to him, the suit before the Federal High Court was intended to enforce existing judicial pronouncements recognising the interim leadership, rather than reopen issues that had already been settled by higher courts.

He further revealed that the faction had concerns over the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, claiming that certain portions of the decision delivered in open court were not fully reflected in the document eventually released to the party.

While stopping short of making direct accusations, Ememobong said discrepancies between what was heard in court and what appeared in the certified document had raised concerns among members of the faction.

He expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would provide clarity on the disputed issues and ultimately uphold what the group considers the supremacy of earlier judicial decisions.

Despite the mounting legal and political challenges, the Turaki-led faction insisted it remains committed to reclaiming the PDP through lawful means and preserving Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system.

Declaring that the struggle was far from over, Ememobong said the faction was prepared for a long legal and political battle, adding that its members would continue to endure pressure, criticism and harassment in pursuit of what they believe is justice.

The development sets the stage for an intensified confrontation within the PDP and could trigger fresh political realignments as the race toward the 2027 presidential election gathers momentum.