Defiant Turaki-Led PDP Vows To Storm 2027 Polls, Dismisses Doubts Over Candidacy

The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unequivocally declared its intention to fully participate in the 2027 general elections, notwithstanding the persistent leadership crisis afflicting the party. This stance was firmly articulated by Interim National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), at a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.

Turaki emphasized that internal crises are not novel to the PDP, recalling previous tumultuous periods, such as the one that led to the formation of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee. He expressed confidence that the party had successfully navigated such challenges in the past and would emerge stronger from its current predicament, which he characterized as less severe than previous ones. “There may be challenges here and there regarding the leadership of our party. Again, for us in the PDP, this is nothing new. We will overcome. We shall overcome. We are overcoming,” Turaki stated, also alleging that many of the crises within opposition parties are orchestrated by the ruling party, a development he deemed unfortunate.

Despite Turaki's resolute declarations, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently does not recognize his faction. This lack of recognition has practical implications, as the umpire has not provided access codes to the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) to upload names of candidates for upcoming elections to its portal. In contrast, INEC recognizes the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, chaired by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed, which has successfully uploaded its presidential and National Assembly candidates and is in the process of uploading names for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. The Turaki-led INWC has pursued legal avenues for recognition, but an Abuja Federal High Court recently struck out a suit filed by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) seeking to compel INEC to recognize the camp as the authentic PDP leadership.

Addressing the strategy meeting, Dr. Tanimu Turaki reassured party faithful that the faction would ultimately gain recognition and field candidates in 2027, describing the PDP's current travails as temporary. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to brief leaders on recent developments, including the implications of the court judgment, and to deliberate on strategies for repositioning the party. Turaki's spokesperson further elaborated on the meeting's aim to dissect the judgment and strategize for taking the nation “out of the woods,” asserting that “PDP, your party is on course. The essence of every political party is to legitimately capture power in a given polity. You cannot capture power unless you are on the ballot.”

Support for Turaki's leadership was echoed by other prominent figures. Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Niger State and Secretary of the BoT, urged stakeholders to remain calm, expressing confidence in divine intervention against what he called “fugitive and nomadic politicians” who abandoned the party. He criticized those who lack patience and attempt to “play God” by making decisions beyond their purview. Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the Forum of State Chairmen, also pledged the unwavering commitment and loyalty of state chairmen to the Turaki leadership, encouraging widespread support for the INWC.

Turaki concluded by reiterating his faction's legitimacy as a platform for contesting elections, asserting that “this PDP shall be on the ballot for all rounds of the 2027 elections, from the presidential election down to the State Houses of Assembly elections.” He commended the loyalty of party stakeholders and expressed confidence that the decisions reached at the meeting would effectively reposition the party for victory in the forthcoming elections.