By Ademu Idakwo, Olakunle Olasanmi ,Abuja, Obansa Ibrahim,Lokoja, Patrick Ochoga, Benin and Aza Msue, Makurdi
The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened despite the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s prolonged dispute, as rival factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, continue parallel sales of nomination forms, screening of aspirants and primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development has triggered fresh concerns among lawyers and party stakeholders, who warned that the unresolved leadership tussle could lead to prolonged legal battles and possible disqualification of candidates produced by rival factions.
The Turaki-led faction, reportedly backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other stakeholders, said it had concluded the sale of forms, commenced screening exercises nationwide and begun primaries for various elective positions.
According to figures released by the faction, 3,181 aspirants obtained nomination forms for elective offices across the country.
The faction said the figure included 2,122 State House of Assembly aspirants, 748 House of Representatives aspirants, 198 Senate aspirants, 112 governorship aspirants and one presidential aspirant.
Officials of the faction further disclosed that screening committees had commenced verification of credentials and documents submitted by aspirants in preparation for the primaries.
The figures and screening exercise could not be independently verified as of press time.
The Wike-backed faction, however, dismissed the exercise, insisting that the rival camp lacked the legal authority to conduct party activities, including the sale of forms, screening of aspirants and conduct of primaries.
Speaking during a recent media interaction in Abuja, Wike questioned the legitimacy of the process and challenged the rival faction to operate an official party account for the collection of nomination fees.
“If you are saying you want to sell forms, to whom will you submit them? Is that not fraud?” he asked.
The minister also warned property owners in the Federal Capital Territory against allowing the rival faction to use their premises as party offices.
Meanwhile, the PDP House of Representatives candidate for Idah Federal Constituency, Paul Ukwenya, dismissed claims of factionalisation within the party in Kogi State.
According to him, the party in the state operates under the leadership of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led executive committee, which he described as the only structure recognised by law and by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“In Kogi PDP, we do not have any faction. We belong to the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led executive committee. That is the only executive committee recognised by law and listed on the INEC portal,” he said.
“Our operations are backed by the law, the party constitution and recognised by the electoral umpire, INEC. Therefore, we have no fear at all,” he added.
The dispute follows months of legal battles over the control of the PDP after parallel conventions and conflicting court judgments by rival groups within the party.
Reacting to the development, lawyers warned that the parallel conduct of party activities by rival factions could create serious legal complications for aspirants and the party if the leadership dispute remains unresolved before candidates are submitted to INEC.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Abdul Balogun, warned politicians against contesting elections under the PDP until the crisis is resolved.
According to him, it is safer to contest under other political platforms than the PDP.
