The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the publication of its presidential candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission has ended months of speculation over the party’s participation in the 2027 presidential election.
The party said those who predicted it would fail to produce a candidate had been proven wrong.
It described the inclusion of its presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Babangida Umar, on INEC’s published list of candidates as a major milestone in its preparations for the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, the PDP said the publication had “effectively laid to rest” what it described as sustained misinformation and propaganda aimed at undermining confidence in the party.
The statement read in part, “Of particular significance is the publication of the names of our presidential candidate, Distinguished Senator Sandy Ojang Onor, and his running mate, Alhaji Babangida Umar, who will proudly fly the flag of our great party in the 2027 presidential election.”
According to the party, the development has vindicated its leadership after months of claims that internal disputes would prevent it from fielding candidates for the election.
“This development has effectively laid to rest the sustained misinformation and propaganda by those who desperately sought to convince Nigerians that the PDP would not field a presidential candidate.
“For months, these unfounded claims were deployed as a campaign tool to mislead Nigerians, discourage our supporters and create doubts about the future of our party. Today, the facts have prevailed, the law has taken its course, and the PDP has once again been vindicated,” it stated.
The opposition party expressed appreciation to its members and supporters across the country and in the diaspora for remaining steadfast during what it described as a challenging period.
The PDP also commended INEC, the judiciary and security agencies for what it described as their commitment to the rule of law and constitutional order.
Reaffirming its commitment to reconciliation, the party appealed to aggrieved members to return, saying unity remained essential to reclaiming political power.
The party also welcomed returning members and recent defectors, describing their decision as evidence of renewed confidence in the PDP’s vision and leadership.
The statement followed the publication by INEC of the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general election.
In recent months, the party has been engulfed in internal leadership disputes and legal battles that fuelled speculation over its ability to conclude its nomination process before the statutory deadline.
The development, the party said, dealt a major blow to the faction led by former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki, which adopted former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Last week, the faction claimed it manually submitted the name of its presidential candidate to the electoral commission because it did not secure the access code required for electronic submission.
