The crisis plaguing the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is growing by the day as two different factions of the party have presented parallel candidates of elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Factions controlled by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesome Wike, and another loyal to Seyi Makinde but headed by Tanimu Turaki have presented certificates of return to candidates for the election.
Both factions held separate events in Abuja with each faction claiming to be the legitimate leadership of the PDP. It remains to see which faction the Independent National Electoral Commission would recognise.
The development came barely 24 hours before INEC’s scheduled release of access codes to political parties for uploading the names of candidates contesting elective offices.
On his part, Wike expressing confidence in his faction’s position, and said the issuance of INEC access codes on June 26 would ultimately validate the PDP leadership led by his camp.
“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 subsequently presented certificates of return to its 2027 presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, alongside governorship aspirants and other candidates.
Also, at a separate event also in Abuja, the Turaki-led faction declared that it had successfully produced candidates for all elective offices and would contest every constituency in the 2027 elections.
Turaki said the party had confirmed 28 governorship candidates, 109 senatorial candidates, 360 House of Representatives candidates and 993 State House of Assembly candidates after what he described as rigorous screening and security checks.
He however failed to name who would run as its presidential candidate.
(Ripples)