ABUJA — The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened following a move by a faction led by Kabiru Turaki to nominate former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The Convention and Nomination
During a special national convention held on May 30, 2026, at the faction's secretariat in Abuja, delegates unanimously ratified Goodluck Jonathan as their standard-bearer. The event took place after security concerns forced the relocation of the convention from its originally planned venue at the A-Class Event Centre.
Former President Jonathan was not in attendance. His Certificate of Return was formally received on his behalf by Hon. Fred Agbedi, a member of the House of Representatives. To date, the former president has not publicly commented on or accepted the nomination.
A Divided Party
The PDP is currently split between two main factions:
The Turaki-led faction: This group has endorsed Goodluck Jonathan and is currently challenging the party's leadership structure through legal channels.
The INEC-recognized faction: Backed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, this group remains the only leadership officially recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They have already nominated former Senator Sandy Onor as their presidential candidate.
Legal and Electoral Significance
Under Nigeria’s current electoral framework, only candidates nominated by party leadership officially recognized by INEC are eligible to participate in general elections. While the Turaki-led faction maintains that its actions are backed by the party's constitution and previous court rulings, INEC currently recognizes the Wike-backed leadership. This suggests that the nomination of Goodluck Jonathan by this specific faction faces significant legal and practical barriers to appearing on the official 2027 ballot.
