The Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has manually submitted the nomination of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s other candidates for the 2027 general elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite the electoral body’s refusal to recognise the committee.
The committee said the move complied with the Electoral Act 2026 and warned INEC against publishing any list of candidates different from the one it submitted, threatening fresh legal action if that happened.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the party resorted to manual submission after INEC declined to provide access codes required for electronic submission.
“Notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes… 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,” Ememobong said.
He stated that the list submitted to INEC included Jonathan’s presidential nomination, governorship candidates, as well as candidates for the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
He maintained that the electoral commission acknowledged receipt of the documents.
Ememobong, however, cautioned INEC against recognising or publishing any other list of candidates.
“Should the Commission publish names other than those lawfully submitted by us… we are exhausting every constitutional, legal and democratic avenue to ensure that our party is not hijacked or annexed to the ruling party,” he said.
He explained that the leadership dispute followed the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership, arguing that the ruling left the PDP without a legally recognised National Working Committee.
According to him, the party’s Board of Trustees and a requisitioned National Executive Committee meeting subsequently constituted the Interim National Working Committee to fill the leadership vacuum.
He alleged that although INEC was formally notified of the development, the commission declined to recognise the interim leadership, forcing the party to seek judicial intervention.
The PDP spokesman also criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment on the matter.
“The judgment… reads more like an appeal on the judgment of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. It is clearly inconsistent with the extant decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that form the foundation of our case,” Ememobong said.
He disclosed that the party had appealed the judgment and would also challenge alleged discrepancies between the judgment delivered in court and its Certified True Copy.
The PDP further accused INEC of abandoning its neutrality.
“The Commission’s actions have regrettably reinforced the growing public perception that it is no longer acting with the impartiality expected of the nation’s electoral umpire,” Ememobong said.
He alleged that the commission withheld material facts during court proceedings involving the party and ignored congresses it monitored, warning that such actions were eroding public confidence in the electoral process.
Ememobong also alleged that the PDP was the first target of a broader campaign to weaken opposition parties and entrench one-party dominance.
“We were the pioneer target for opposition dismantling and capture… but it has now spread to almost all the opposition parties,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to defend the country’s multi-party democracy, warning that electoral authoritarianism undermines democratic consolidation, while expressing confidence that the party would prevail.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
What do you think about this?
Drop your opinion in the comment section.
FOLLOW US & Share this with someone who needs to see this.
