A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Babangida Umaru, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal.
The faction also successfully uploaded the names of its National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The faction’s National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
“I am pleased to inform all PDP members and Nigerians that our great party, under my leadership, has successfully uploaded the names of our presidential candidate, his running mate, and our National Assembly candidates onto the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal,” he said.
The development comes days after Mr Wike, the leader of the faction, publicly stated that the PDP stands no chance of winning the 2027 presidential election unless it rebuilds its internal structures and resolves its lingering crises.
The minister, a member of the opposition PDP serving in the administration of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has repeatedly pledged to support Mr Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The upload of candidates’ names to INEC’s candidate nomination portal is significant because access to the portal is often regarded as a practical indication of which faction the electoral commission recognises for administrative purposes. Through the portal, political parties submit the particulars of candidates nominated for elections, making it a critical step in the electoral process.
The development comes amid a prolonged leadership crisis in the PDP, which has left the party divided into rival camps ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Aside from the faction backed by Mr Wike, there is another faction led by the former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki. Both camps have laid claim to the party’s national structure, assets, and authority to nominate candidates for elections. The Turaki-led faction had nominated former President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate, though the former Nigerian leader did not publicly confirm his nomination.
Fulfilling a promise
Mr Mohammed said the successful upload of the party’s candidates demonstrates that the PDP will participate in the 2027 general elections.
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He stated that the development reflects the party’s commitment to its promise to Nigerians to remain on the ballot.
“This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the promise we made that, under my leadership, the PDP will fully participate in the 2027 General Elections. Today, we have taken another decisive step towards fulfilling that promise.
“As we await the conclusion of the upload of our Governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, I, on behalf of the National Working Committee of our party, extend my heartfelt congratulations to all PDP members across Nigeria and around the world. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, more united party and a better future for our nation,” he stated.
