Fresh concerns have emerged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be unable to field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections as the party’s protracted leadership dispute deepens following a recent court ruling, ENigeria Newspaper has learnt.
This comes after the Court of Appeal ruled that the PDP’s November 2025 national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, was invalid. The Federal High Court’s earlier ruling prohibiting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from acknowledging the convention’s results was upheld by the appeal court. The verdict has now increased confusion inside the opposition party, with some members cautioning that the PDP may not be able to have legitimate primaries before the January 16, 2027, presidential election due to the ongoing litigation.
Omenka Thomas, a party leader, in an exclusive with The Guardian, expressed concern that any candidate created under the contested leadership structure might be disqualified since the legal case surrounding the disputed convention might not be resolved by the party primary schedule. He claims that because the court proceedings are taking so long to be resolved, there is confusion within the party as different groups continue to claim leadership.
Kabiru Tanimu Turaki’s faction, meantime, has rejected the appellate court’s verdict and promised to appeal it to the Supreme Court. The faction said in a statement released by its spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, said its attorneys had been told to submit an appeal at the highest court right away in an attempt to reverse the ruling.
“The operationalisation of this judgment will, without fail, impose untold hardship on our members,” he said.
“To avert this, while we consult with critical organs of our party on the way forward, we have instructed our lawyers to immediately take the necessary legal steps to appeal to the Supreme Court, the apex court in the land, for a final determination of the matter.”
In the midst of the crisis, political realignments seem to be picking up steam. Before the next ward congresses, Usman Okai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has advised notable PDP officials like Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to think about joining the ADC.
In recent months, the party has seen a surge of defections due to internal strife. Since the general elections in 2023, a number of governors and legislators have defected to other political parties, severely undermining the PDP’s national structure.
Some party stakeholders maintain that the PDP still has time to settle its differences before the 2027 polls, despite the mounting worries. They contend that restoring stability and enabling the opposition party to fully participate in the elections might be accomplished by the organization of a new convention and reconciliation among party leaders.
Concerns are arising that if the leadership crisis is not resolved swiftly, the PDP may be at a serious disadvantage before the next presidential election, as the electoral schedule is already in motion and party primaries are scheduled to start in April 2026.
