The Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has manually submitted the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the submission also included the names of the party’s governorship and National Assembly candidates.
According to Ememobong, the candidates’ list was submitted manually because the faction was denied access to INEC’s digital portal, insisting that manual submission remains valid under the Electoral Act 2026.
“We are pleased to announce that we have successfully submitted manually, and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the entirety of the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic PDP,” he said.
He added that INEC acknowledged receipt of the documents, stressing that the lack of portal access was merely an administrative issue and not a legal barrier.
The faction urged its members not to lose hope if INEC fails to publish the names of its candidates, saying it is pursuing all constitutional and legal avenues to secure recognition.
Ememobong also accused INEC of bias in handling the PDP’s internal leadership dispute, alleging that the electoral commission had failed to remain neutral in matters involving the opposition party.
He further disclosed that the faction has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declined to recognise the interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki.
The spokesperson criticised the ruling, describing it as inconsistent with previous decisions of higher courts, and expressed concerns that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment did not fully reflect what was delivered in open court.
Despite the legal setbacks, Ememobong reaffirmed the faction’s commitment to reclaiming the party through lawful means and preserving Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
“We remain hopeful. With God on our side not power or money victory is certain. We understood from the beginning that this struggle would be a marathon, not a sprint, and we are prepared to endure to the very end,” he said.
