By Emmanuel Olugua
The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as two rival factions separately presented certificates of return and nomination documents to different sets of candidates for the 2027 general elections, each insisting it represents the authentic leadership of the party.
The parallel exercises, held in Abuja by the faction led by Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and another headed by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), underscored the deepening divisions within the opposition party as both camps prepared for a showdown over recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The competing events came barely 24 hours before INEC’s scheduled release of access codes to political parties for the upload of candidates’ details, a development both factions believe could determine which leadership structure the electoral umpire recognises.
At the PDP’s 109th National Executive Committee meeting held at the party’s national secretariat, Wike urged members to stop dwelling on the party’s loss of power and instead focus on rebuilding its electoral strength ahead of 2027.
“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 declared.
The FCT minister challenged governors, National Executive Committee members, and other party leaders to demonstrate political relevance by delivering electoral victories in their respective domains.
“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 said.
Expressing confidence that his faction would ultimately prevail, Wike pointed to the imminent release of INEC access codes as a test of legitimacy.
“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.
The faction’s National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, commended state leaders for conducting what he described as peaceful primaries and urged members to remain united despite ongoing challenges.
Similarly, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa, called for reconciliation within the party and intensified grassroots mobilisation ahead of future elections.
The leadership subsequently presented certificates of return to its presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, as well as governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly candidates. Among those unveiled were Bolakale Kawu for Kwara State and Isa Pantami for Gombe State.
However, in a direct challenge to the Wike-led camp, the Turaki faction held a separate stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja where it announced that it had also successfully concluded primaries and produced candidates for all elective positions nationwide.
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 vetting 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 screenings to ensure only credible candidates emerged and to avoid legal complications that could arise after elections.
Turaki disclosed that candidates who had completed all clearance processes would receive engraved certificates of return, while others whose documentation was concluded recently would be issued provisional certificates pending final processing.
The faction’s National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas-Shan, further escalated the contest for legitimacy by announcing that former President Goodluck Jonathan had emerged 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,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of governorship candidates produced by the faction, Delta State governorship candidate, Benedict Etanabene, described the primaries as transparent, orderly and compliant with democratic procedures.
With both camps now laying claim to the party structure, unveiling different presidential candidates and preparing separate lists for submission to INEC, the PDP’s internal crisis appears headed for a decisive test.
Political observers believe the next critical battleground will be the electoral commission’s recognition process, particularly the issuance of access codes for candidate uploads, which may indicate which faction enjoys legal standing pending any judicial intervention.
For now, the opposition party faces the unprecedented spectacle of two competing leaderships, two sets of candidates and two conflicting visions of its future as the countdown to the 2027 elections gathers momentum.