Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it 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.
The faction’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Abuja.
He said the group had also submitted the names of its candidates for other elective positions to the electoral commission.
Truth Live News Media reports that the PDP has remained divided into two rival factions, one led by Tanimu Turaki and the other by Abdulrahman Mohammed.
The Mohammed-led bloc, which is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is the faction currently recognised by INEC.
Both factions recently conducted parallel primary elections to produce candidates for the 2027 general election. While the Mohammed-led camp nominated Senator Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate, the Turaki faction adopted former President Jonathan as its flag bearer.
Ememobong maintained that the Turaki-led INWC is the legitimate leadership of the PDP.
He alleged that the faction was denied access to INEC’s candidate nomination portal, forcing it to submit its list of candidates manually to the electoral commission.
According to him, “we are pleased to announce that notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes which is an administrative convenience rather than a legal requirement, 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.
“That submission, containing the names of our Presidential Candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as all Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates-receipt of which was duly acknowledged by INEC.
“As part of the electoral timetable, INEC will soon publish the names of candidates sponsored by political parties.
“Should the Commission publish names other than those lawfully submitted by us, we urge our members, supporters and the teeming Nigerians who eagerly await the candidature of President Jonathan and our other candidates not to despair. ”
He explained that recently, a suit was filed before a Federal High Court, seeking an order directing INEC to recognize the Turaki led INWC as the authentic leadership of the PDP.
Nonetheless, the spokesman noted that the judgment by the Court seem more like an appeal on the verdicts of superior courts.
“It is for this reason that we have exercised our constitutional right of appeal. It is equally important to note that the Certified True Copy of the judgment was released after considerable delay.
“More significantly, the Certified True Copy did not fully reflect portions of the judgment as delivered in open court.
This development raises legitimate concerns, which will also be addressed through the appropriate legal processes.
“We remain confident that the Court of Appeal will provide the necessary clarification and reaffirm the supremacy of the earlier decisions of the higher courts.
“Our decision to seek judicial intervention was, and remains, about preserving the integrity of the Peoples Democratic Party from those who seek to reduce Nigeria’s foremost opposition party into an appendage of the ruling party,’ Ememobong said.
