The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that it has manually submitted the names of its candidates, including former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential flag bearer, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The faction said the submission covered its governorship, National Assembly and other elective positions across the country, adding that the electoral commission acknowledged receipt of the documents.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Interim National Working Committee (INWC) member, Ini Ememobong, explained that the party resorted to manual submission after it was allegedly denied access to INEC’s online candidate nomination portal.
According to him, the move complied fully with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, insisting that access to the commission’s digital platform is only an administrative process and not a legal prerequisite for candidate nomination.
“We have successfully submitted manually, and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the complete list of candidates sponsored by the authentic PDP,” Ememobong said.
“This includes the name of our presidential candidate, former President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as all governorship and National Assembly candidates. INEC has duly acknowledged receipt of the submission.”
He expressed confidence that the commission would soon publish the names of candidates submitted by political parties in line with the electoral timetable but urged supporters of the faction not to lose hope if its list is omitted.
Ememobong maintained that the faction was pursuing every constitutional and legal avenue to prevent what he described as attempts to undermine the party and weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
The PDP chieftain also accused INEC of exhibiting bias in matters involving the party, alleging that the commission had consistently failed to remain neutral in disputes affecting the opposition.
He claimed that INEC officials had allegedly withheld material facts in court proceedings despite monitoring party congresses and attending meetings relevant to the disputes.
According to him, the commission appeared to possess and rely on internal information that favoured one faction of the PDP over another.
Ememobong called on INEC to refrain from publishing the party’s candidates until pending legal disputes over the leadership of the party are finally resolved by the courts.
He disclosed that the faction had already appealed the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declined its request to compel INEC to recognise its interim National Working Committee.
Describing the ruling by Justice Salim Ibrahim as inconsistent with earlier decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, Ememobong argued that the lower court ventured into issues that had already been settled by superior courts.
“Our suit was for the enforcement of existing judgments, not to relitigate matters that had already been decided,” he said, adding that the faction was confident the Court of Appeal would provide clarity and uphold previous judicial pronouncements.
He further alleged irregularities in the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, claiming that portions of the ruling delivered in open court were not reflected in the document eventually released to the party after what he described as an unusual delay.
While stopping short of accusing anyone of wrongdoing, Ememobong said the discrepancies had raised concerns among party members and legal representatives who witnessed the proceedings.
He reaffirmed the faction’s commitment to pursuing its claims through lawful means, expressing optimism that the judiciary would ultimately resolve the dispute in its favour.
“We knew from the outset that this would be a marathon, not a sprint. We are prepared to endure every challenge, ridicule and harassment until justice is served. With God on our side, we remain confident that victory will come,” he said.
