The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the presidential nomination of former President Goodluck Jonathan submitted by the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development followed a move by the Turaki-led group to submit the names of its candidates manually after it claimed the electoral body failed to provide the access details needed for electronic submission.
The faction had submitted Jonathan’s name as its presidential candidate alongside other candidates for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly positions.
However, INEC said it only accepts candidate submissions through its approved electronic platform in line with its rules.
INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, explained that political parties are expected to use the commission’s designated portal for the process and that manual submissions are not recognised under its guidelines.
The rejection has added another layer to the leadership crisis affecting the PDP as different groups continue to battle over control of the party structure ahead of the next election cycle.
The Turaki faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the group chose the manual route because it believed INEC failed to provide the required access codes for online submission.
He maintained that the party’s action was carried out within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He claimed the documents submitted by the faction were received by INEC and warned that any candidate list published by the commission outside what his group submitted would be challenged through legal means.
The faction traced the crisis in the party to leadership disputes that followed previous court decisions involving the PDP.
It said the party’s Board of Trustees and a National Executive Committee meeting had formed an interim leadership arrangement after concerns over the absence of a recognised national leadership.
The group accused INEC of refusing to recognise the interim leadership despite being informed about the changes.
It also said it had taken legal steps to challenge court decisions it disagreed with.
Ememobong also accused the electoral body of failing to maintain neutrality in the dispute, alleging that its actions had raised concerns among members of the opposition party.
He claimed the challenges facing the PDP were connected to broader issues affecting opposition parties in Nigeria and warned that weakening political competition could affect the country’s democratic system.
The PDP faction said it remained committed to defending its position and would continue with legal and political efforts to secure recognition for its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
