The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened on Wednesday after two rival factions separately unveiled different sets of candidates for the 2027 general elections, with both insisting they represent the party's legitimate leadership.
The camps, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), held parallel events in Abuja where they presented certificates of return and nomination documents to their candidates.
The development comes less than 24 hours before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to issue access codes to political parties for uploading the names of their candidates for the 2027 elections.
Speaking during the PDP's 109th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Wadata Plaza, Wike urged party members to stop dwelling on the loss of power and instead focus on rebuilding the party through electoral victories.
"Nobody gives power. Power is taken. If you do not do so, that is your business. You must fight for it to take it. Nobody is ready to dash you power," he said.
Wike also challenged governors, NEC members and candidates to deliver electoral victories in their respective constituencies.
"If you bring a House of Representatives seat, you have done something. If you bring an Assembly member, you have done something. But don't come here empty-handed. This is not a place for empty hands," he added.
Expressing confidence that his faction would be recognised by INEC, Wike said the commission's release of access codes would settle the dispute over the party's leadership.
"As far as I am concerned, June 26 is when they will give access codes to political parties to upload results. Don't worry, we are good to go. Nobody is afraid. We will see who INEC will give the code to," he stated.
Earlier, PDP National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed commended state leaders for conducting peaceful primaries and urged members to remain united, while Board of Trustees Chairman Mao Ohuabunwa called for reconciliation and stronger grassroots mobilisation.
The Wike-led leadership later presented certificates of return to its presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, alongside governorship candidates, including Bolakale Kawu for Kwara State and Isa Pantami for Gombe State.
At a separate stakeholders' meeting in Abuja, the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee also announced that it had produced candidates for all elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Turaki said the faction screened and cleared 28 governorship candidates, 109 senatorial candidates, 360 House of Representatives candidates and 993 State House of Assembly candidates after what he described as a rigorous screening process.
"It is not just about contesting; it is about contesting to win. That is why we carefully and methodically examined every individual who presented themselves as a candidate under the platform of our party," he said.
According to him, the faction introduced background investigations and security checks to minimise the risk of post-election disqualifications and ensure credible representation.
"The first set of candidates who have been fully cleared will receive engraved certificates of return. Others whose documents we received only yesterday will also receive their certificates today, although theirs may not yet be engraved or laminated," he added.
The faction's National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas-Shan, claimed the group had also nominated former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
"We have a presidential candidate who bought the forms, signed them and was duly nominated the other day. Despite all efforts to stop us from nominating him, we succeeded," Dakas-Shan said.
Speaking on behalf of the governorship candidates, Delta State governorship candidate Benedict Etanabene described the primaries conducted by the Turaki-led faction as transparent and in line with due process.
The parallel presentation of candidates by both factions has further deepened the PDP's leadership crisis, with attention now focused on INEC's next move as the party prepares to submit its candidates for the 2027 general elections.
